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THE 


APOLOGY 


O    F 

THEOPHILUS  LINDSEY,  M.  A, 

ON    RESIGNING    THE 

VICARAGE  OF  CATTERICK,  YORKSHIRE. 

The    Second    Edition. 


LONDON: 

Printed  for  J.  Johnson,  No.   72,  in  St,  Paul's 
Church  Yard.     1774. 


THE 


P     R    E    F    A    C    E: 

^  I  ^00  large  a  circuit  may  feemto 
-*•  have  been  taken  in  this  work, 
and  fome  things  introduced  appear 
foreign  and  unfuitable,  if  it  be  not 
confidered,  that  the  defign  hath  not 
been  barely  to  offer  a  vindication  of 
the  motives,  condud,  and  fentiments 
of  a  private  perfon  upon  the  fubjed 
of  it,  however  important  to  him. 

A  2  The 


IV 


PREFACE. 


The  aim  has  been  higher,  whe- 
ther attained  or  no:  to  promote 
that  charity^  without  which  a  faith 
that  can  remove  mountains  (i  Cor. 
xiii  2.)  is  nothing  ;  and  to  excite 
fome  to  piety,  virtue,  and  integrity : 
in  which  it  will  be  accounted  far 
happier  to  have  fucceeded,  than  ia 
making  the  largeft  number  of  pro- 
felytes  to  any  opinions. 

A  fentiment  not  unlike  to  this, 
has  often  been  read  with  pleafure,  in 
that  fine  writer,  teacher  and  exam- 
ple of  virtue  and  true  religion,  Lac- 
tantius ;  a  confefTor  for  the  truth  in 
the  worft  (the  Diocletian)  times,  and 

unchanged. 


PREFACE-  V 

unchanged,  humble,  and  moderate 
in  the  moft  ilourifhing,  when  made 
tutor  to  Crifpus,  the  emperor  Con- 
ftantine's  fon :  He  thus  concludes 
one  of  his  firft  chriftian  writings. 

*^  But  if  life  be  an  objed  of  de- 
fire  to  a  wife  man;  truly  I  could 
wifti  to  live  for  no  other  end,  but 
to  do  fomething  worthy  of  life ;  and 
which  may  enable  the  Reader,  not 
to  be  more  learned  and  eloquent, 
to  which  I  can  form  but  little  pre- 
teniions,  but  to  be  a  good  man, 
which  is  the  chief  thing,  of  all. 
And  this,  if  I  can  but  accompUfh, 
I  (hall  think  I  have  lived  long  enough, 
and  fulfilled  my  duty  as  a  man,  if  by 

any 


VI 


P   R  E  F  A  C  E. 


any  labours  of  mine,  fome  few  may 
be  delivered  from  error,  and  di- 
reded  in  their  road   to  heaven."* 


*  Qiiod  fi  vita  eft  optanda  fapienti ;  profe6lo 
nullam  aliam  ob  caufam  vivere  optaverim, 
quam  ut  aliquid  efficiam  quod  vita  dignum  lit, 
et  quod  utilitatem  legentibus,  etfi  non  ad  elo- 
queiitiam,  quia  tenuis  in  nobis  facundise  rivus 
eft,  ad  vivendum  tamen  afFerat,  quod  eft  max- 
ime  neceflarium.  Quo  perfedlo,  fatis  me  vix- 
ifTe  arbitrabor,  et  ofEcium  hominis  implefle,  fi 
labor  meus  aliquos  homines  ab  erroribus  libera- 
tos,  ad  iter  coelefte  direxerit. 

Lactantius — de  opificio  Dei,  p.  496, 


JuJI  Puhlijhed,  Price  Six-pence, 

A  Farewell   Address    to    the  Parishioners   of 
Catterick.     By  Theophilus  Lindsey,  M.  A. 

Printed  for  J.  Johnson,  No.  72,  St.  Paul's  Church-yard. 


CON- 


CONTENTS. 

Chap.  I.  rif^HE  Introduction,  with  fome  ftric- 
§      tures  on  the  origin  of  the  do6trine 
of  the  Trinity,  and  the  oppofition  it  met 
with  to  the  time  of  the  Reformation.  p.  i 

The  word  Trinity  not  found  in  the  Bible, 
and  never  ufed  by  Chrillians  till  about  the 
year  200  after  Chrift  ■■  I2 

Difbelief  of    the   Trinity   no   blameable 

herefy  ■  '■  21 

Chriftians  for  fome  ages  after  Chrift  were 

wholly  Antitrinitarians  23 

By  what  means  the  dodrine  of  the  Trinity 
prevailed  ■  24 

Chap.  II.  Of  the  ftate  of  the  Unitarian  dodrine, 
in  our  own  country  more  efpecially,  from 
the  aera  of  the  Reformation,  with  an  account 
of  thofe  Chriftians  who  have  profelTed  it.  33 

Conclufions  to  be  made  from  the  forego- 
ing hiftory  74 

Chap.  III.  There  is  but  One  God  :  religious 
worftiip  to  be  offered  to  this  One  God,  the 

Father  only  S2 

No.  plurality  of  perfons  in  God         ■ 93 

Texts  fuppofed  to  favour  a  plurality  of 
perfons  in  God,  or  a  Trinity  in  Unity  98 

Baptifm  by  the  apoftles  in  the  name  of 

Chrift  only 105 

The  apoftles  creed  cenfured  by  fome  as  an 

Arian  or  Photinian  creed ■  IC9 

Religiou's  worlhip  to  be  paid  to  God.  the 
Father  only,  and  not  to  our  Lordjefus  Cbrijl  1 19 
.    .  .  Chrift's 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


Chrift's  character  of  Mediator  and  High 
Prieft  utterly  incompatible  with  his  being  the 
object  of  worfliip  *  .  p.  126 

The  principal  texts  alleged  to  authorize 
prayer  to  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  — -  128 

Of  Chrift's  high  power  and  authority,  as 
a  ground  of  worfliip  ■  1 36 

Religious  worlhip  to  be  paid  to  God,  the 
Father  ;  and  not  to  the  Holy  Ghoji         —        142 

Religious  worfhip  to  be  addrefled  only 
to  the  one  true  God,  the  Father,  the 
exprefs  doctrine  of  our  Saviour  Chrift  and 
his  apoftles,  and  the  pradice  of  the  Chriftian 
church  for  the  firft  three  centuries  147 

Chap.  IV.  The  caufes  of  the  unhappy  defection 
among  Chriftians  from  the  fimplicity  of  re- 
ligious worfliip  prefcribed  in  the  fcriptures  of 

the  New  Teftament  152 

Chap.  V.  Union  in  God's  true  worfhip,  how  to 

be  attained  —  172 

A  ftanding  apoftolic  rule  for  prayer  176 

Dr.  Clarke's  amendments  of  the  liturgy 
recommended  —  —  184 

What  may  be  done  by  thofe  who  cannot 
confcientioufly  join  in  the  eftabliflied  worfliip  192 
Chap.  VI.  The  writer's  particular  cafe  and  dif- 
ficulties «*.  —  202 


THE 


CHAPTER     I. 

THE    INTRODUCTION",    WITH  SOME  STRICTURES  ON 
THE  ORIGIN  OF  THE  DOCTRINE  O^  THE  TRINITY, 
AND     THE    OPPOSITION     IT     MET    WITH    TO    TH^  ; 
TIME  OF  THE  REFORMATIO!^. 


I 


T  would  be  doing  an  injury  to  the  pe-» 
titioners  to  parliament  for    redrefs  in  . 
the  matter  of  fubfcription,  with  whom  the 
writer    was  from  the  firft  conned:ed,   to 
clafs  them  as  holding  the  fame  opinions 
with  him,  if  there  fhould  be  any  thing.to 
blame  in  the  freedom  with  which  he  hath 
delivered  his  fcntiments  on  fome  favourite 
points.     The  rife  of  his  fcruples  and  dif- 
ficulties was  many  years  prior  to  that  con^» 
nexion,  and  would,  he  js  perfuaded,  ha\»T2 
brought  him  to  take  the  ftep  he  has  been 
conftrained  to  for  his  own  quiet,  without 
it.     Whilft  at  the' fame  time  he  liiufl:  ever  , 
think  the  dcfign  and  condud:  of  that  afib- 
ciation,  unfuccefsful  in  its  main  point  as 
it  hath  hitherto  been,  highly  ferviceable 
to"  true   religion,  and  honourable    to  all 
concerned  in  it ;    and  cannot  hut  refled: 
with    peculiar    fatisfaftion^    that  .he    did- 
not  quit  his  miniftry  in- the  church  efta- 
B  ^   blilhed. 


[     2      ] 

bliflied,  till  the  moft  reafonable  attempts 
'  for  a  farther  reformation  were  rejedled ; 
iirft,  in  the  honourable  the  Commons 
houfe  of  parliament  refufing  the  petition 
of  the  clergy,  and  the  two  profeffions  of 
law  and  phyfic ;  and  next,  in  the  abrupt 
negative  put  by  the  governors  of  the 
church  upon  the  application  made  to 
them  by  Mr.  WoUafton  and  his  affoci- 
^tes,  viz,  that  in  their  opinion  it  was  *  nei-» 
ther  prudent  7tor  fafe  to  do  any  thing  in  the 
matter  by  them  fubnit ted  to  their  conjidera^ 
tion-y  the  very  words  (as  communicated  by 
a  friend)  of  the  A — — p  of  C- y,  to  the 

•  '  *  "  It  may  therefore  be  dangerous  to  begin  with 
>•*'-  making  alterations  and  amendments  in  the  church,  , 
*^  left  thofe  fcafFoldings,  which  are  ere6ted  for  repairs, 
*'  fhould   be  made  ufg  of  to  pull  down  the    whqk 
«'  fabric." 

''  Anf.  As  to  the  Chriftian  religion  in  general,- 
*'  we  have  the  fure  word  of  prophecy,  that  the  gates  of 
*-'  hell  JJyall  not  prevail  a ga'injl  it.  And  as  to  particu- 
"  lar  eftablifliments,  I  fhould  apprehend,  that  the  freer 
"  they  were  from  errors,  the  more  likely  they  would 
*'.  be  to  ftand.  At  leaji  IJhould  think  it  would  be  right 
•'  to  run  fame  rifgue^  and  place  fome  trujl  in  the  provi- 
''  d'ence  of  God,  rather  than  let  errors  of  any  confequence 

^-^^  remain, Ek.   Clayton,    bifhop    of  Clogher,  o 

fAaKa^tT/if,  dedication  to  efTay  on  fpirit,  p.  xlv.  xlvi. 

previous 


r  3  ] 

previous  meflage  and  deputation  fent  to 
him  from  Tennifon's  library. 

The  clergy- fociety  at  the  Feathers  was 
made  up,  as  the  like  voluntary  combina- 
tions of  ferious  and  inquifitive  perfons  un- 
known to  each  other  ever  will  be  made 
up,  of  men  differing  in  opinion  from  each 
other  in  many  refpedts,  but  united  in  this, 
that  fubfcription  to  human  formularies  of 
faith  was  an  unjuft  impofition  upon  the 
confciences  of  men,  and  an  invafion  of 
Chrift's  authority,  the  only  lord  of  con- 
fcience,  and  head  of  his  church. 

As  a  body  of  men,  they  are  no  more 
chargeable  with  the  private  opinions  than 
with  the  private  condud:  of  each  indivi- 
dual of  their  number.  Some  of  them, 
without  anyjuft  impeachment  of  their  in- 
tegrity, may  think  nothing  amifs  in  re- 
peating that  fubfcription,  of  which  they 
fought  the  removal.  Others  may  npt  be 
able  to  allow  themfelves  fuch  a  latitude. 
And  it  may  be  painful,  and  even  impoffi- 
ble  to  fome  to  reconcile  their  minds  any 
longer  to  continue  thofe  miniflrations  in 
the  church,  to  which  their  fubfcription 
and  declarations  bind  them,  when  admit- 
.tcd  to  a  cure  of  fouls.  B  2  By 


[     4     1 

By  a  long  train  and   feries  of    thought 
and  events,  I  have  found  myfelf  unfortu- 
nately of  this   latter   nuaiber,  and  after 
much   balancing  in  my  own  mind,  have 
believed   it   incumbent    on   me  to   make 
this  apology  for  myfelf,  who  never  thought 
of  troubling  the  public  with  any  thing  of 
mine  :  willing,  at  the  fame  time   I  mud 
own,  when    thus   called  to  it,  and   even 
glad,  at  whatever  coft,  to  bear  my  feeble 
tefcimony  to  the  honour  and  true  worfhip 
of  the  O/zd' G^^  and  Father  of  all,  obfcured 
or  opprefled  by  high  authority  or  dark  fu- 
perftition,  in  almoft  every  Chriftian  coun- 
try ;  and  thereby  to  leave,  with  my  friends 
at  leaft,  a  reafoiiable   juftitication  of  my 
.condudt  for  quitting  an  advantageous  fitu- 
tion  in  the  church,  of  feme  probable  ufe- 
fulnefs  to  others,  and  cafting   myfelf  on 
the  providence  of  God. 

It  may  be TomeTecommehdation,  if  not 
of  the  truth  of  what  is  delivered,  yet  of 
the  diligence  and  fmcerity  of  the  writer, 
that  they  are  not  notions  taken  up  of  yef- 
terday,  but  the  refult  of  many  years  pain- 
ful and  felicitous  enquiry,  not  without 
frequent  and  earneft  alpirations  to  the 
i^-'.  Father 


[    5    } 

Father  of  Light i   for  direftion  and  affift- 
ance ;  and  to  which  the  prejudices  of  edu- 
cation and  the  fuggeftions  of  worldly  eafe 
and  intereft  were  inoft  oppofed. 
'  .And  as  he  hath  been  fearful  of  commit- 
ting  any  miilakes  himfelf,  he  hath  been  no 
lefs  defirous  not  to  mifiead  others,  in  what 
he  here  prefumes  to  lay  before  the  public. 
Firmly  perfuaded,  upon  fuch  evidence 
as    he    thinks    no   fair    mind    can    refifl:, 
that  the  Lord  Jefus  came  from  God,  ia 
the  writing  of  thefe  (heets  he   hath  been 
all  along  under  the  mofl  ferious  impref- 
fions  of  the  relation  he  bears,  and  the  ob- 
ligations he  owes  to  this  divinely  com- 
miiiioned  Saviour,  who  loved  him  (Galat- 
i  i .  20.)  and  gave  himfelf  for  him ;  th  e  a  p  - 
pointed  judge  of  quick  and  dead,  by  whom 
his  future  lot  is   to  be  decided,  and    who 
hath  given  his   faithful   followers    hope, 
after  death,,  of  **  beholding  his  ghry,  and 
being  for  ever  ttith  kiin'^     John  xvii.  24. 

I  Theffal.  \v.  17. 

But 

*  John   xvii.  24.  ^*  Father   /  will,  that  they  alfo 

whom  tliou  haft  given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am." 

But  it  ought  rather  to  be  tranflated.  Father,  /  deftre^ 

—-as  the  phrafe,  I  zuill,  in  our  language,  is  ambigu- 

B  3  ^  ous. 


[    6    J 

But  he  dares  not  advance  this  divine 
Saviour  to  an  equality  **  with  his  God 
and  heavenly  Father,  who  himfelf  came 
to  teach  men,  that  the  Father  was  the 
only  true  God ;  and  whofe  higheft  aim, 
glory  and  felicity  was,  to  be  the  beloved 
fon  and  chofen  mefienger  of  the  Father, 
and  to  be  employed  by  him  in  teaching 
his  will  to  men.  John  xvii.  3. — '*  This 
is  life  eternal,  that  they  might  know  thee, 
the  only  true  God,  and  Jefus  Chrift  whom 

ous,  and  not  clearly  that  oi  a /applicant.     The  French 
tranflations  have  it  Je  defire  ;  Je  fouhaite. 

*  When  Dr.  James^  the  divinity  profeflbr  at  Cam- 
bridge, treated  our  Saviour's  name  with  too  much  le- 
vity in  drolling  upon  Mr.  Whifton's  and  Dr.  Clarke's 
fuppofed  error  about  the  Trinity,  at  the  difputation  of 
the  latter  for  his  degree  of  doiStor  in  divinity  j  the  fa- 
mous Dr.  Bentley  made  the  following  extempore  tetraf- 
tic  on  the  profeflbr  : 

Tii  ne  mathematicum,  male  falfe  Jacobe,  laceiHs, 

Hiftrio  dum   ringis  ferium  habere  virum  ? 
Ludis  tu  Chriflum,  Dominumque  Deumque  profefTus : 
Ille  colit  Dominum^  quem  negat  eflfe  Deum. 

ENGLISHED, 

And  doft  thou,  James^  with  aukward  keennefs  mark 
Whijion,  and  fcofling  fret  at  ferious  Clarke  f 
Thou  jefli'ft  on  Chrift,  thy  Lord  and  God  fupreme  ; 
TFhifi on zdovQS  him  Lord-,  but  fears  him  God  to  name. 
Whifton's  hift.  mem.  of  Dr.  S.  Clarke,  p.  14, 

I  thou 


I    7    J 

thou  haft  fent"*,  or  Jefus  Chrift  thy  mef- 
ienger,  thine  apoftle.  And  iv.  24.  *«  My 
meat  is  to  do  the  will  of  him  that  fent  me, 
and  to  finifli  his  work." 

When  the  malicious  Jews,  perverting 
his  words,  calumniated  him,  John  v.  18. 
♦  for  making  himfelf  equal  with  Oodi  and,  lii 
like  fort,  x.  33,  were  going  to  ftone  him 
for  blafphemyy  becaufe  that  he,  being  a  ma?t, 
made  hiwfelf  Gody  by  which  making  himfelf 
Gody  and  equal  with  Gody  they  meant  no- 
thing more  than  his  affuming  a  divine 
power  and  authority  without  any  warrant 
for  it,  as  the  context  and  his  anfwer  to 
them  plainly  flieweth  :  his  defence  of  him- 
felf at  both  times  was — not,  that  he  was 
indeed  equal  to  God,  or  that  he  was  God, 
but  that  he  had  his  authority  from  the 
Father;  v.  19,  the  fon  ca?i  do  nothing  of 
himfelf y  but  what  he  feeth  th^  Father  do ; 
and  X.  37,  If  I  do  not  the  works  of  my 
Father,  believe  me  not  j  referring  them 
to  the  works  he  did,  as  a  proof  of  the  ma- 

*  Gr9tius's  note  on  the  text  is  happily  expreiled, 
*«  De  fe  modefte  in  tertia  perfona  loquitur.  Senfus  eft. 
Et  ut  me  agnofcant  ut  legatun-i  tuum.  Hac  voce  of- 
.tendit  honorem  fibi  habitum  ad  patrem  redire.  Nam 
regis  intereft,  ut  legatus  honoretur. 

B  4  licioufnefs 


t    8    ] 

licioufnefs  of  their  accufation,  and  of  his 
power  and  authority  from  God. 

If  he  faid,  John  v.  22,  23,  **  The  Father 
judgeth  no  man  ;  but  hath  committed  all 
judgment  unto  the  fon  :  That  all  men 
(hould  honour  the  fon  even  as  they  honour 
the;Father*'*  He  immediately  explaineth 
what  that  honour  is  which  he  thus  claimr 
,cth,  y,  23,  latter  part:  *'  He  that  ho- 
npureth  not  the  fon,  honpureth  not  th^ 
Father,  which  hath  fent  him  ;"  i.  e.  thp 
honour  to  be  paid  to  him  was  not  fo  much 
on  his  own  accc-nt,  as  out  of  refpedt  to 
God,  who  hadjent  biniy  and  the  important 
office  which  he  had  committed  to  him  *. 

John  vi.  57.  He  declares  that  he  re- 
ceived life  and  being  from  the  Father;  — ^ 
^^  As   the   living  Father   hath  fent   me, 

•*  This  is  Origen's  interpretation  of  this  paflagc,  and 
the  idea,  he  had  of  the  ground  of  the  honour  to  be  paid 
xo  Chrift.  For  after  afferting  that  the  heathens  can 
iliew  no  authority  {rem  the  God  over  all  to  vvorfhip 
their  gods,  daemons,  and  heroes — he  fays,  ''  If  CeJ- 
fus  in  his  turn  fhould  afk  us  concerning  Jcfus,  we 
fnall  demonilrate  that  the  honour  we  pay  to  hini  Is  ap' 
pointed  by  God,  namely,  that  all  men  iJjould  honour 
the  Son  as  tbty  honour  the  Father,^' 

Origen  contr.  Cclf.  1.  yiii.  p.  384. 

*'  and 


cc 


[     9     ] 

and  I  live  by  the  Father" ^See  Dr. 

Clarke's  paraph rafe. 

vii.  16,  *^  My  doftrine  i$  not  mine,  tut 
his  that  fent  me.'* 

viii.  28,  29,  **Thenfaid  Jefus  unto  them, 
\yhen  ye  have  lifted  up  the  fon  of  man, 
then  (hall  ye  know  that  I  am  he,  and  that 
I  do  nothing  of  myfelf;  hut  as  the  Father 
hath  taught  me,  I  fpeak  thefe  things  5  and 
he  that  fent  me  is  with  me ;  the  Fatherly 
hath  not  left  me  alone  :  for  I  do  always 
thofe  things  thatpleafe  him," 

See  farther  our  Lord's  declarations  con* 
cerning  himfelf,  recorded  by  this  his 
beloved  difciple,  John  ix.  4.  x.  17,  iS, 
24 — 30.  xi.40 — 42.  xii.  49.  xiii.  i6,  20. 
xiv.  i^  16,  28,  31.  XV.  8,  10.  x^i.  5,  23. 
xvii.  throughout;  in  all  which  he  formally 
profeffes  his  inferiority  and  depcndance^ 
that  he  received  his  being  and  all  his 
powers  from  God;  and  leads  men  by  his 
precepts  and  example,  to  look  up  to  God 
the  Father,  as  the  fole  author  and  fource  of 
all  bleflings  to  all,  and  the  fole  objedt  of 
fupjreme  adoration  from  all. 


Whatever 


[       10       ] 

Jnln'^mrd         Whatever  difficulties   there 
name.  may  be  in  the  bible  in  other 

refpedts,  one  would  imagine 
there  could  be  no  difpute  concerning  the 
objed  of  divine  worfliip,  whether  one 
or  many ;  compounded  of  more  perfons 
than  one,  or  uncompounded.  The  moftw 
unlearned  reader  fees  at  once,  (unlefs  told 
he  mufl:  not  fee  it,)  that  the  God  that  made 
him,  and  whom  he  is  to  adore,  is  one, 
without  multiplicity  Or  divifion,  even  as 
he  knoweth  himfelf  to  be  one  being,  one 
perfon,  and  not  many.  Learned  Chrifti- 
ans  have  indeed  coined  a  new  language  o| 
their  own  quite  unknown  to  our  Lord 
and  his  apoftles,  and  have  called  God  ?>/- 
mty,  a  "Trinity  in  Unity  that  is  to  be  wor^ 
Jhipped-y  which  is  obvioufly  departing  from 
the  fimplicity  of  the  gofpel,  and  is  at  beft 
making  a  plain  thing  obfcure.  For  thofc 
perfons,  however,  who  reckoned  thefe  to 
be  proper  expreffions  of  what  appeared  t^i\? 
them  the  fcripture  doftrine  concerning  the 
deity,  there  could  be  nothing  blameable 
in  their  thus  wording  and  explaining  it  for 
themfelves.  They  had  a  right  to  do  it, 
which  no  one  fhould  or  ought  to  interfere 
with  or  hinder.  But  the  unhappinefs  hath 

been> 


[  "  1 

been,  that  fome  men  have  not  been  con- 
tented  with    making   and    adopting   this 
phrafeology  concerning  the  deity  for  them- 
felves,    but  have   alfo   obtruded  it  upon 
others,  by  methods  not  always  the  moil 
juftifiable,  as  the  only  right  and  allowable 
way  of  thinking  and  fpeaking  concerning 
God.     And  this  obfcure  language,  confe- 
crated  at  firft  by  a  few  leading  names,  and 
grown  hoary,    as  it  were,   thro'  length  of 
years,    takes  place  of,    and  with  many  i$ 
revered  above  that  of  holy  fcripture  itfelf  j 
and  the  dodlrine  thus  worded  is  called  a 
tremendous  do5irine^    2, /acred  fnyjlery ;    and, 
for  many  ages,    Chriftians  have  been  for- 
bidden to  fearqh  into  it,  or  call  it  in  que-* 
ftion,  under  various  pains  and  penalties, 
even  unto  death ;  and  at  this  very  day,  to 
difapprove  this  unfcriptural  language  and 
the  dodtrine  conveyed  by  it,  fhall  by  fomc 
be  looked  upon  as  denying  the  truth  of  di- 
vine revelation,    as  little  fhort  of  atheifm 
itfelf*.  The 

*  "  The  Complainants,  if  we  may  judge  from  fome 
publications  previous  to  this  attempt,  are  a  motley  mix- 
ture o^  Infidels  of  various  denominations,  fuch  as  Delflsj 
'  Jrians,  Socinians,  and  Pelagians ,  the  grand  point  they 
v^ant  to  be  rid  of,  is  the  doctrine  ©f  the  Trinity  in  Uni- 


[      12      3 

The  rife  and        The  woi'd  'Trinity  was  not 

date    of    tne  n   /->i 

mmQTrinity.   known  OF  uled  amongll  Chnf- 

tiansfor  near  two  hundred  years 

after  Chrift,  when  it  was  firft  ufed  by  The- 

iy.,  and  Its  confequences,  fuch  as  the  godhead  of  Chrift^ 
and  the  perfonality  and  godhead  of  the  Holy  Ghoji -,  if, 
thefe  could  be  ftruck  out  of  the  liturgy  and  articles, 
they  wpuld  be  content.  Dr.  Clarke's  Beings  A'laho- 
met's  Alia — any  but  the  true  God  will  ferve  their 
turn  " '~— 'Scriptural  Comtnent  on  the  xxxix  Articles — 
preface,  page  ix.  x.  by  M»  Madan,  A;  B.  &c.  1772. 
f  <«  _-^ — This  is  the  principa;,  if  not  the  only  charac- , 
teriftical  note,  whereby  to  diftinguifh  a  Chriflian  from 
another  man;  yea,  from  a  Turk;  for  this  is  the. chief 
thing  that  the  Turks,  both  in  their  alcoran,  and  other 
writings,  upbraid  Chriftians  for,  even  becaufe  they 
believe  a  Trinity  of  perfons  in  the  divine  77aiure.  For 
which  caufe  they  frequently  fay,  they  are  people  that, 
believe  God  hath  companions ;  fo  that  take  away  this  ar- 
ticle of  our  Chriftian  faith,  and  what  depends  upon  it, 
and  there  would  be  but  little  difFerence  betwixt  a  Chrif- 
tian  and    a   Turk." Bijhop   Beveridge.     Private- 

thoughts,  part  ii.   page  53.  '    '■' 

One  is  forry  to  fee  this  pious  bifhop  laying  fuch  un- 
warrantable ftrefs  on  his  own  privat/^  opinions  in  thi^ 
and  other  points,  and  dealing  out  fuch  uncharitable 
cenfures  in  a  book  of  practical  piety ;  unfit  place  for 
it  furely  of  all  others  !  Much  is  to  be  allowed  undbubt- 
edly  to  the  warmth  of  his  natural  temper.  But  then 
he  fliould  be  read  with  caution,  left  we  receive  harm 
from  him  inftead  of  benefit,  and  in  fettling  our  ortho- 
doxy lofe  our  charity, 

ophiluG, 


[  13  3 

ophllus,  a  gentile  convert,  bifhopofAn- 
tioch;  bat  in  no  great  conformity  to 
what  it  is  made  to  fignify  at  prefent. 
— It  is  acknowledged  to  be  entirely  of 
heathen  extraction,  borrowed  from  Plato, 
and  the  Platonic  philofophy :  and  this 
being  its  true  origin,  it  fliould  feem, 
that  a  proper  zeal  for  God's  word,  and 
regard  for  Chrift  and  his  infpired  apof- 
tles,  fhould  make  us  relax  a  little  of  our 
pafiion  and  vehemence  againft  thofe  who 
fcruple  to  ufe  a  language  not  fandified 
by  their  authority,  in  fpeaking  of  and 
addreffing  the  great  God. 

Luther  and  Calvin,  (as  a  learned  author  * 
informs  us)  in  fome  moments,  were  little 
difpofedto  favour  this  nnfcriptural  dialed:. 
**'  The  word  Trinity  founds  oddly,  faith 
the  former,  and  is  a  human  invention.  It 
were  better  to  call  almighty  God,  God, 
than  Trinity''  **  And  Calvin  fays,  I  like 
not  this  prayer,  O  holy,  blefled,  and  glo- 
rious Trinity  :  it  favours  of  barbarifm. — • 
The*word  Trinity  is  barbarous,  infipid, 
profane;  a  human  invention;  grounded 
on  no  teftimony  of  God's  word  ;  the  fo-- 

*  Ben  Mordecai,  letter  i,  page  75. 


r  Hi 

fifh  God,  unknown  to  the   prophets  and 
apoftles  *." 

We  bear  with  this  freedom  of  fpeech  in 
thefe  eminent  reformers,  becaufe  they 
were  well-known  and  warm  contenders 
for  what  is  called  t^e  dodirine  of  the  Tri- 
nity, tho*  they  expreffed  fuch  utter  diftafte 
and  diflike  of  the  word  itfelf.  It  would 
be  but  fair  and  equitable  to  give  a  patient 
bearing  to  thofe,  who  do  not  take  upon 
them  to  condemn  this  obnoxious  language 
in  To  rude  a  way,  but  who  think  there 
is  caufe  and  ground  from  holy  fcripture 
to  difcard  not  only  the  name,  but  the 
doctrine  itfelf^  who  aflert  the  divine  Unity 
in  the  ftridteft  and  mofl  abfolute  fenfc ; 
that  God  is  One,  and  his  name  One,  the 
God  that  made  the  world,  the  God  of 
Abraham,  Ifaac,  and  Jacob,  the  God  and 
Father  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrifl ;  and  that 
He  alone  is  the  fupreme  objed:  of  his  crea- 
tures religious  regards  and  worftiip,  by 
the  teftimony  of  Jefus  himfelf. 

*  "  Imo  Calvlnus  non  dubitavit  dicere,  ^'  cette 
priere  re^ue  communement,  fainU  Trinite^  un  feul 
Dieu,  aye  pitie  de  nous^  ne  me  plaift  point,  et  fent  du 
tout  fa  barbaric;"  in  Epift.  ad  Polon.  fecund.  Gallic 
cam  epiftolarum  ejus  editionem.'*— — Curcellsei  Op. 
page  833. 

The 


f     »5    ] 

The  bulk  of  Chriftians  have  fuffcrcd 
themfelves  to  be  flrangely  deluded  into  a 
notion  that  there  is  a  merit  in  believing 
dark,  inexplicable  doftrines  *,  and  that  it 


15 


*  I  beg  leave  to  give  a  fample  at  length  of  one  of 
thefe  dark  doiSlrines,  to  ftiew  what  hay  and  Jlubhh 
(\  Cor.  iii.  12.)  fome  that  are  fuppofed  mafter-build- 
crs  prefent  us  with,  to  build  us  up  in  our  moft  holy 
faith : 

*«  We  are  now  to  confider  the  order  of  thofe  per*' 
fons  in  the  Trinity,  defcribed  in  the  words  before  us> 
Matth.  xxviii.  19.  Firft,  the  Father,  and  then  the 
Son,  and  then  the  Holy  Ghoft  \  every  one  of  which  is 
really  and  truly  God  j  and  yet  they  are  all  but  one 
real  and  true  God.  A  myftery,  which  we  are  all 
bound  to  believe,  but  yet  muft  have  a  great  care  how 
we  fpeak  of  it ;  it  being  both  eafy  and  dangerous  to 
miftake  in  exprefling  fo  myfterious  a  truth  as  this  is. 
If  we  think  of  it,  how  hard  is  it  to  contemplate  upon 
one  numerically  Divine  nature  in  more  than  one  and 
the  fame  Divine  perfon  ?  or,  upon  Three  Divine  perfons 
in  no  more  than  One  and  the  fame  Divine  nature  ?  If 
we  fpeak  of  it,  how  hard  is  it  to  find  out  words  to  ex- 
prefs  it  \  If,  I  fay,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghoft, 
be  three,  and  every  one  diftinftly  God,  it  is  true  :  but 
if  I  fay,  they  be  three,  and  ^\^x^j  one  a  diftin£l:  God, 
it  is  falfe.  I  may  fay,  the  Divine  perfons  are  diftind 
in  the  Divine  nature;  but  I  cannot  fay,  that  the  Di- 
vi«e  nature  is  divided  into  the  Divine  perfons.     I  may 

ray. 


f     »6    3 

is  owing  to  want  of  a  proper  humility  that 
others  will  not  fabmit  their  underftandings 
to  receive  them.  Neverthelefs  our  Saviour 
Chrift  teaches  no  ni)  (lerious  doftrines, 
nor  commends  any  faith  but  that  which 

fay,  God  the  Father  is  One  God,  and  the  Son  is  One 
God,  and  the  Holy  Ghoft  is  One  God  -,  but  I  cannot 
fay,  that  the  Father  is  one  God,  and  the  Son  another 
God,  and  the  Holy  Qh oft  a  third  God.  I. may  fay, 
the  Father  begat  another  who  is  God ;  vet  I  cannot 
hy,  that  he  begat  another  God.  And  from  the  Father 
and  the  Son  procecdeth  another  who  is  God ;  yet  I 
cannot  fay,  from  the  Father  and  the  Son  proceedeth 
another  God.  For  all  this  while,  though  their  Nature 
be  the  fame,  their  Perfons  are  diftinct^  and  though 
their  Perfons  be  diilin6l:,  yet  ftill  their  Nature  is  the- 
fame.  So  that,  though  the  Father  be  the  firft  perfon, 
in  the  Godhead,  the  Son  the  fecond,  the  Holy  Glioft- 
the  third ;  yet  the  Father  is  not  the  iirft,  the  Son  a- 
fecond,  the  Holy  Ghoft  a  third  God.  So  hard  a 
thing  is  it  to  word  fo  great  a  myftery  aright ;  or  to  fit 
fo  high  a  truth  with  expreflions  fuitable  and  proper  to. 

it,    without  going  one  way  or  another  from  it." 

Bp.  Beveridge.  Private  thoughts^  part  ii.  pag,  48,  ,49. 

When  we  read  fuch  puzzling  unintelligible  myftery, 
and  fee  fuch  mighty  ftrefs  laid  on  it,  how  thankful 
ought  we  to  be  for  the  good  kn{e  and  fimplicity  of  the 
gofpel  of  Jefus,  which  leads  us  by  no  fuch  dark  and 
intricate  roads  to  heaven ;  but  as  one  of  his  chief  apof- 
tles  fpeaketh,  Ads  xx.  21.  requireth  no  more  of  all 
men  but  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  toiuard  our 
Lor'd  Je/us  Chri/I  / 

imme- 


[  17  i 

immediately  influences  the  lieart  and 
practice.  "  But  (to  ufe  the  words  of 
an  author  of  good  account)  this  pretence 
of  a  neceffity  of  humbling  the  underftand- 
ing  is  none  of  the  nieaneil  arts,  wherehy 
^fome  perfons  have  invaded  and  ufurped  a 
power  over  other  men's  faith  and  confci- 
ences.  But  he  that  fubmitteth  his  under- 
ftanding  to  all  that  he  knows  God  hath 
faid,  and  is  ready  to  fubmit  to  all  that  he 
hath  faid  if  he  but  knov/  it,  denying  his 
own  affedions,  and  ends,  and  interefts, 
and  human  perfuafions,  laying  them  all 
down  at  the  feet  of  his  great  mafter  Jefus 
Chrift,  that  man  hath  brought  his  under- 
/landing  into  fubjedtion,  and  every  proud 
thought  into  the  obedience  of  Chrift,  and 
this  is  the  Cirxyio-n  Trif-ooc,  the  obedience  qf 
faith,  which  is  the  duty  of  a  Chriftian.'* 
— Tay/or,  Liberty  of  propbejyijig,  p.  30* 

The  firft  Chriftians  faw  fo  far  into  this 
great  truth,  that  piety,  benevolence  and  in- 
tegrity,are  the  end  of  tlie  divine  commands 
ment,  and  of  all  the  various  communica- 
tions of  light  and  knowledge  to  men,  that 
they  readily  admitted  their  virtuous  heathen 
progenitors  into  the  Chriftians'  heaven,  to 
'£  C  .        ■         be 


[  i8  ) 

be  faved  by  Chrift,  though  they  never 
heard  of  his  name,  as  thinking,  and  think- 
ing rightly,  that  the  grace  and  mercy  of 
the  kind  parent  of  the  univerfe,  revealed 
by  Jefus  Chrift,  would  be  extended  to  ail 
thofe  in  all  times,  who  had  diligently  im- 
proved, and  walked  according  to  the 
meafure  of  light  afforded  to  them. 

*«  Think  not,  faith  Irena^us,  that  Chrill: 
came  for  thofe  only  who  believed  on  him 
in  the  time  of  Tiberius,  or  that  the  Father 
hath  made  this  merciful  provifion  only  for 
the  men  that  now  are :  It  is  for  all  men 
whatfoever,  who  have  lived  from  the  be- 
ginning, and  according  to  their  power, 
have  feared  and  ferved  God  in  their  gene- 
ration, and  aded  righteoufly  and  chari- 
tably towards  their  neighbours,  and  have 
defired  to  fee  Chrift  and  hear  his  voice/' 
lib.  iv.  cap.  xxxix. 

*<  They  that  have  formerly  lived,  (and 
they  that  now  live)  agreeably  to  reafon, 
are  Chriftians,  and  in  a  fecure  and  quiet 
Hate."     Juftin.  Martyr.  Ap.  i.  p..  83. 

«*  Therefore  before  the  coming  of  Chrift, 
philofophy  was  that  which  was  necefiary 
for  falvation  to  the  Greeks"— and  thea 
again — ^*^it  was  their fchoolmafter  toChrift^ 

as 


[19] 

as   the  law  was    to   the  Jews."     Clem. 
Alcxand.  Stro.  i.  vi. 

AndOrigeny  on  Romans  li.  lo,  ii,  12. 
**  This  1*5  rpoken  of  the  Gentiles,  who  Z-^^w';^^ 
no  law  are  a  law  unto  thcmfehes,  who  (hall 
not  lofd  the  reward  of  their  good  deeds,  in 
being  juft  and  chafte,  and  governing  them- 
felves  with  prudence,  temperance,  and  hu- 
mility." Vid.  V\^hitby.  DiiT.  facr.  p.  232. 
But  as  Chriftians  multiplied,  and  increaf- 
ed  in  power  and  wealth,  their  charity  to- 
wards thofe  who  diffented  from  them  grew 
lefs,  in  relation  both  to  this  world  and  the 
fiext;  and  the  manfions  of  blifs  would  be 
thinly  peopled,  if  their  anathemas  and 
profcriptions  of  their  fellow- creatures  wetc 
to  be  ratified  there. 

•Hence  that  vulgar  unhappy  error,  which 
is  infufed  into  us  from  our  very  cradle,  by 
which  we  are  nurfed  up  in  the  contempt 
and  almoft  abhorrence  of  every  feft  of 
Chriftiaps,  but  the  one  in  which  we  our- 
felves  had  the  good  hap  to  be  born;  fo 
that  they  whofe  minds  become  afterwards 
more  enlarged,  can  feldom  fo  entirely  (hake 
off  this  prejudice,  but  the  leaven  of  it  will 
cling  to  them.  Whereas  it  fhould  be  a 
firft  and  perpetual  leffon,  to  efteem   the 


[      20      3 

virtuous  and  the  good  alike  of  every  per- 
fuafion,  and  never  to  think  difrefpedfuUy 
of^  thofe  who  worfhip  their  Maker  in  a 
way  different  from  ourfelves :  nay,  we 
fliould  be  principled  in  it,  for  it  is  the 
very  dodrine  of  Chrift  our  Mafter,  not  to 
judge  or  condemn  any  that  are  upright 
and  fincere,  but  to  think  as  favourably  of 
their  future  {late  and  condition  as^of  our 
own,  hov/ever  remote  their  opinions  may 
be  from  ours,  in  points  that  we  deem  mofl 
efiential.  For  if  they  be  equally  fincere 
inTeeking  the  truth,  and  living  up  to  it, 
they  vyill  be  equally  accepted  with  God; 
and  of  their  fincerity  he  alone  is  the  Judge, 
and  not  we. 

At  the  firft  planting  of  the  gofpel,  ere 
yet  all  the  apoftles  of  our  Lord  were  gone 
to  their  reft,  many  ftrange  errors  and  doc- 
trines fprung  up  amongft  feme  of  their  fol^ 
lowers.  But  in  a  very  few  years  after, 
fuch  extravagant  fyftems  concerning  God 
and  the  iavifible  world  were  grafted  on 
the  fimple  truths  they  had  taught,  that 
the  wildeft  myftics  of  later  times  have 
produced  nothing  more  frantic  and  ab- 
furd. 

Jrenseus^ 


I      2«       J 

Irenasus,  of  whofe  work  we  have  little 
more  than  an  old  Latin  tranflation  remain- 
ing, hath  written  as  large  againft  thefe  he^ 
rejiest  as  he  calls  them  ;  and  by  his  labours, 
and  thofe  of  others,  their  contradidlion  to 
the  fcripture,  and  abfurdity  was  fo  fully 
expofed,  that  men  grew  ailiamed  of  them, 
and  they  died  away  of  thenifelves. 

But   it  was   an  evil    hour  af-  Difbeliefof 

,  ,'  ,  the  Trinity 

terwards,  that  the  term  bere/y  no  blame- 
became  particularly  affixed  to  ^^^'^'^'''^>'- 
fuch  opinions  as  were  not  in  agreement 
with  the  doftrine  of  ihc  Trinity ,  and 
thofe  tailed  heretics  who  oppofed  that 
doctrine.  For  the  name  being  already  of 
bad  found,  on  account  of  the  monftrous 
tenets  of  thofe  men  to  whom  it  was  firft 
given,  though  in  itfelf  of  indifferent  fig- 
Tiification,  and  invidious  infinuations  being 
then  thrown  out,  as  fometimes  now,  that 
they  who  rejeded  the  received  Creeds, 
fought  to  degrade  Chrift  from  his  real 
dignity,  the  paffions  of  the  ignorant  mul- 
titude were  wound  up  to  the  highefl:  pitch 
againft  jhofc  that  were  fo  branded.  But 
whoever  reads  the  annals  of  ecclefiaftical 
hiftory  with  an  impartial  eye,  and  will 
pot  fufFer  himfelf  to  be  governed  h)'  names 
C  3  anvl 


[       22    J 

and  founds,  will  foon  perceive,  that  from 
the  days  of  Conftantine  to  the  prefent 
times,  thofe  called  heretics  by  their  adver- 
faries,  have  generally  been  the  honeft  feWj^ 
>vho  have  ventured  to  fearch  the  holy 
fcriptures  fpr  themfelves,  and  openly  to 
profefs  the  truth  of  God  wliich  they  there 
learned,  in  oppofition  to  popular  error. 

We  readily  allow  this  definition  to  be 
the  true  one,  and  glory  in  the  name  of  hC" 
reticy  as  an  honourable  diftind:ion,  whea 
given  us  by  the  Papiils,  as  from  time  imme- 
morial they  have  given  it  to  all  that  oppofe 
the  Roman  Chief  and  feiihop,  and  to  this^ 
day  never  ajfford  us  Proteftants  any  other 
appellation.  Let  us  not  ufe  two  different 
meafures  :  let  us  put  the  fame  favour^^ble 
conftrudion  upon  a  confcientious  diffent; 
from  the  dodrine  of  the  Trinity,  or  what- 
ever has  had  the  good  fortune  to  he 
efpoufed  by  the  majority  and  counted  or- 
thodox, in  former  times,  or  in  our  own, 
and  then  we  (hall  abandon  the  name  of 
heretic  intirely,  as  moft  unjuftly  fixed  upon 
thofe  who  differ  from  others  on  fuch  juft 
grounds;  or  elfe,  if  we  will  continue  to 
life  it,  ii  vyill  ceafe  to  be  a  name  of  re- 
proach^ 


[      23      3 

proach,  and  become  honourable  to  the 
wearer,  as  it  was  to  the  apoftle  Paul,  Adls 
xxiv.  14.  *'  I  confefs  unto  thee'*  (faith 
he,  in  his  defence  before  the  Roman  go- 
vernor) *^  that  after  the  way  which  they 
**  call  herefy^  fo  worfhip  I  the  God  of  my 
''  Fathers." 
'     A  very  general  perfuafion  hath  Chriftians,  for 

°  fome  ages  after 

been  entertained,    though  no-  Chriii.     were 
thing  can  be  farther  from  the  Trintum^s?''' 
truth,  that  thofe  who  have  been 
diffatisfied  from  the  firft  with  the  dodlrine 
of  a  Trinity  in  Unity,   and  have  objeded 
to  it,   have  been  only  a  few  v/himfical, 
conceited,    obftinate  perfons,    the  follow- 
ers of  one  Arius,    who   lived  near  1500 
years  ago  \   or  of  Socinus,   who  was  only 
of  yefterday,   in  the  time  of  our  forefa- 
thers.    Authorities  of  men  are  nothing  ; 
it  is  holy  fcripture  alone  which  can  decide 
this  important  point,  and  to  that  we  muft 
make  our  final  appeal.     But  if  the  matter 
is  to  be  put  to  the  vote  as  it  were,   it  is 
abfolutely  neceffary  that  the  lefs  learned 
fhould  be  told,    what  upon  enquiry  will 
be  foun^  to  be  undeniably  true,  viz.  that 
the  fathers  of  the  firfl  three  centuries,  and 
C  4  con- 


[      24     ] 

confequently  %  all  chrijllan  people,  for  up-* 
wards  of  three  hunared  years  after  Chrijty 
till  the  Council  of  Nicey  were  generally  TJnit^ 
ariansy  what  is  720W  called  either  Arian  or 
Socinian,  i.  e.  fuch  as  held  our  Saviour 
Chrift  to  derive  life,  and  being,  and  all 
his  powers  from  God,  though  with  dif- 
ferent fentiments  concerning  the  date  of 
his  original  dignity  and  nature. 
Ey  what  means        They  fliould  be  told,  that 

the  dodlrine  of  \  >  r  - 

theTrinitypre-  after  this,  for  a  courie  of 
vaiied.  between  three  and    fourfcore 

years,  fometimes  the  Arian^  fometimes, 
the  Athanafian  was  the  prevailing  doc- 
trine, according  as  the  reigning  emperor 
happened  to  be  a  favourer  of  the  one 
or    the    other    opinion  j    till    at    length,  , 

*  Of  this,  the  Creed  called  the  Apoflles,  and  the. 
other  creeds  of  thofe  early  times,  are  a  pregnant  proof; 
a  collection  of  thefe  creeds  is  to  be  found  in  King'.s 
^^  enquiry  into  the  worfliip  of  the  primitive  church, '-' 
page  58 — 64.  And  it  no  lefs  appears  from  the  addi- 
tions made  to  thefe  creeds  in  after  time. 

See  alfo  this  facl  proved,  with  regard  to  the  Arian 
fentiments  of  the  Antenicene  fathers  efpecially;  and 
the  objedlions  of  Bull  and  VVaterland,  confuted  with 
accumulated  evidence  by  Whitby,  Dtjfert,  de  ScripU 
Interpret,  prccf.  fe^io-  qui?ita  throughout. 

\^  Thecdcfjiis 


[    ^5    ] 

^''Theodofius  the  Great  *,  (in  Mofhelm's 
words,  vol.  1.  cent.  iv.  p.  342.)  raifed 
the  fecular  arm  againft  the  Arians  with  a 
terrible  degree  of  violence,  drove  them 
from  their  churches,  enabled  laws,  whole 
feverity  expofed  them  to  the  greateft  cala- 
mities, and  rendered,  throughout  his  do- 
minions, the  decrees  of  the  council  of 
Nice  triumphant  over  all  oppofition;  fa 
that  the  pui/ic  profeffion  of  the  Arian  doc- 

*  The  pious  ftratagem  of  ^aint  Amphilochlus,  a 
bifhop  of  thofe  times,  to  inftigate  Theodofius  to  this 
,  inhuman  work,  deferves  to  be  recorded.  Fie  afFecled 
one  day,  in  the  emperor's  prefence,  fome  very  difre- 
fpe<Slful  and  improper  behaviour  towards  his  fon  Arca- 
dius,  who  had  lately  been  declared  Auguftus.  The 
emperor,  highly  incenfed  at  it,  ordered  him  to  be  im- 
mediately turned  out  of  the  palace.  Upon  v/hich,  the 
biifhop,  in  a  fct  fpeech  retorted  upon  him  ;  "Sir, 
you  cannot  bear  a  little  flight  put  upon  your  Son,  and 
are  even  enraged  vi^hen  he  is  not  treated  with  due  re- 
fpe<St:  doubt  not  but  the  God  of  the  univerfe  ftiil 
more  abhors  -thofe  who  blafpheme  his  only  Son.''  7'he 
emperor  hearing  this  reproof,  called  him  back,  and 
begged  his  pardon,  and  foon  after  fet  on  foot  the  per- 
fecution  of  the  Arians.  Unhappy  the  princes,  who 
like  Theodofius,  Louis  XIV.  or  our  James  IL  are 
Vinder.the  controul  of  priefls  and  churchmen,  and 
ipade  the  tools  and  implements  of  their  impotent  paf- 
(ions  and  vengeance,  ancj  little,  mean  fuperf^.ition ! 

trine 


[     26     ] 

trine  was  confined  to  the  barbarous  and 
unconquered  nations,  fuch  as  theBurgun- 
dians,  Goths,  and  Vandals," 

Still  to  take  oft  undue  prejudices  againft 
the  Unitarian  dodrine,  as  if  it  were  a  An- 
gularity or  novelty  only  of  late  days,  it 
ihould  be  farther  inculcated,  that  for  fe- 
veral  centuries,  till  filenced  and  fubdued 
by  violence,  many  princes  and  ftates  in 
Europe,  that  were  not  in  fubjedlion  to  the 
empire,  continued  to  profefs  the  Arian 
dodrine.  *'  Towards  the  commencement 
of  this  (the  fixth)  century  (faith  the  fame 
hiftorian,  vol.  I.  p.  467.)  the  Arians  were 
triumphant  in  feveral  parts  of  Afia,  Africa, 
and  Europe.  Many  of  the  Afiatic  biQiops 
favoured  them  fecretly,  while  their  opi- 
nions were  openly  profefTed,  and  their 
caufe  maintained  by  the  Vandals  in  Africa, 
the  Goths  in  Italy,  the  Spaniards,  the 
Burgundians,  the  Suevi,  and  the  greateft 
part  of  the  Gauls.— The  triumphs  of  the 
Arians,  however,  were  but  tranfitory^ 
and  their  profperous  days  were  entirely 
eclipfed,  when  the  Vandals  were  drivea 
out  of  Africa,  and  the  Goths  out  of  Italy, 
by  the  arms  of  Juftinian/* 

It 


[    27    1 

It  deferveth  notice  alfo,  on  this  argu» 
m&n%  that  the  Neftorians  *,  that  hayc 
fubfifled  from  the  clofe  of  the  fourth 
century,  and  are  now  in  great  numbers  all 
over  the  Ealt,  are  in  general  Unitarians, 
The  account  which  Mo(heim  gives  (vol.  L 
p.  ^J2.)  of  their  peculiar  opinion  concern- 
ing Chrift,  concludes  thus  —  *<  that 
Chriji  was  therefore  carefully  to  be  diftin* 
guiflied  from  Qod,  who  dwelt  in  him  as 

*  They  could  not  well  be  other  than  Unitarians, 
who  (o  ftri61:Iy  adhered  to,  and  reverenced  the  name 
and  writings  of  Theodore,  Bifhop  of  Mopfueftia,  who 
flourifhed  in  the  fourth  century,  and  was  one  of  the 
^bleft  interpreters  of  the  fcriptures  in  all  antiquity,  as 
appears  from  the  very  few  fragments  of  his  writings 
that  have  been  preferved  to  us.  Dr.  LarJner  has 
given  a  fine  interpretation  from  him,  of  that  confeffion 
of  Thomas  to  Chrift,  ''  my  Lord,  and  my  God," 
John  XX.  28.  "  He  did  not  (fmh  he)  call  C/^r//?, 
Lord  and  God :  but  being  aftonifhed  at  the  great  mira- 
cle of  his  refurre6tion,  and  the  full  evidence  of  it  that 
he  had  afforded  him,  he  praifed  God,  who  had  raifed 
Chrifl  from  the  dead.  Nor  is  the  being  raifed  from  the 
dead  a  proof  of  Deit;.'*  Credib.  vol.  IX.  part  2,  p. 
41 1.  Dr.  Whitby,  in  his  laj}  thoughts^  p.  77,  appears 
to  have  borrowed  the  folution  of  this  paflage  from  thi« 
authoi^ 

See   alfo  La  Croze,   hifloire  du  Chriftiaaifme  des 
Jndes,  vo^  L  p.  362,  364, 

in 


[       28       ] 

in  his  temple;  and  that  Mary  was  to  be 
called  the  mother  cf  Chrijiy  and  not  the 
mother  cf  GodJ* 

Moflieim  occafionally  mentions  the  con- 
tinuance and  profeffion  of  the  Arian  doc- 
trine concerning  Chrift,  to  the  tenth  cen- 
tury in  Italy,  amongft  the  Lombards,  and 
among  the  barbarous  nations,  as  they  are 
called,  and  in  the  Eaft  i  and  how  it  funk 
away,  and  the  vifible  profeffion  of  it  was 
lo(l.     Grofs  darknefs  had  now  overfpread 
the  Chriiiian  world :  the  cipojlacy  foretold 
by   St.    Paul   (i  Tim.  iv.    i.)  had    come 
on,  and  the  daemon-idolatry,  the  worship 
of  dead  men   and  women  prevailed,  and 
which  flill  fubfifls  among  that  large  body 
of  Chriftians,  the  Papifts.     Some  light, 
however,  (hone  in  the  midft  of  this  dark- 
liefs,  and  the  witneffes  to  the  truth  pro- 
phecied,  tho*  in  fackcloth  and  afhes. 

The  divine  Unity  in  particular  was  never 
loft  fight  of  by  fome  few  at  leaft,  who  in 
different  ways  bore  their  teftimony  to  it. 

Rofcellin,  canon  of  Compiegne,  about 
the  clofe  of   the  eleventh  century,  main- 
tained, that  it  was  impoffible  the  Son  of 
God  (hould   take  on  him  the  human  na- 
ture 


(      29      ] 

ture  alone,  without  the  Father  and  the 
Holy  Ghoft  becoming  incarnate  alfo,  un- 
lefs  by  the  three  perfons  in  the  Godhead 
were  meant  three  diftincft  perfons  or  na- 
tures, which  would  be  three  Gods.  And 
he  feems  to  have  maintained  this,  with  a 
view  to  fhew  the  ftrange  confequences 
that  would  follow  from  fuppofing  the  Son 
to  be  the  fupreme  God. 

But  it  was  an  effedual  argument,  which 
is  faid  to  have  been  ufed  by  Anfelm, 
archbifliop  of  Canterbury,  to  filence  this 
canon  of  Compiegne,  and  which  would 
indeed  filence  and  prevent  all  herefy  and 
difference  in  opinion  for  ever;  namely, 
"  a  Chriftian  muft  not  enquire  about  the 
truth  of  any  thing  which  the  church  be- 
lieves ;  but  is  fimply  to  believe  whatever 
the  Romifli  church  profeffeth  to  believe/'* 

The  famous  Abelard,  in  the  next  cen- 
tury, by  fome  faid  to  have  been  a  difciple 
of  Rofcellin,  fell  under  a  public  profecu- 

*  "  Non  efTe  Chriftiano  inquirendum  de  verk^te  rei 
quamjcredit  ecclefia,  fed  fimpHciter  credendum  quic- 
quid  credit  et  confitetur  ecclefia  Romana."  Sandii 
nucl.  hlft.  ccc!efiatt%  1,  ii.  p.-  105.  Mofhcim,  vol.  II. 

tion 


r  30  ] 

tion  for  hercfy,  and  ^  St*  Barnard  (whom 
unflattering  pofterity  has  ftripped  of  much 
of  hb  faintfhip)  was  his  accufer. 

"  The  charge  brought  againft  him  was, 
that  he  had  notorloufiy  corrupted  the 
doftrine  of  the  Trinity^  blafpJiemed  againft 
tbe  majefty  of  the  Holy  Gboft,  enter- 
tained unworthy  and  falfe  conceptions  of 
the  perfon  and  offices  of  Cbrift,  and  the 
union  of  the  two  natures  in  bim,  denied 
the  neceffity  of  the  divine  grace  to  render 
us  virtuous,  and,  in  a  word,  that  his 
dodtrine  ilruck  at  the  fundamental  princi* 
pies  of  all  religion." 

This  was  the  colouring  and  reprefenta* 
tion  of  his  advcrfary.  The  truth  is,  that 
being  a  man  of  genius  and  piety,  he  fzw 
deep  into  the  fore  depravations  of  Chrift's 
religion,  and  fought  earneftjy,  but  in 
vain,  to  remedy  them  ;  and  feem&  lo  have 
been  completely  an  Unitarian. 

Befides  eminent  individuals,  who  arofe 
out  of  the  bofom  of  the  catholic  church, 
as  it  was  called^  and  afferted,  that  the  one 

*  Moflielm,  vol.  II.  p,  430, — who  gives  feveral 
inftances  of  the  violence  with  which  St.  Barnard  op- 
pbfed  all  Reformation  of  the  corruptions  of  the  church. 

God, 


t  51  ] 

God,  the  Father  was  the  God  of  the 
Chriilians,  there  were  ftill  lefler  churches 
and  focieties  of  Chriftians  fubfifting,  who 
were  founded  and  united  on  this  Unita- 
rian principle.  Mofheim  takes  notice  of 
fonie  in  Italy,  who  were  called  Pafagini^ 
ans,  in  the  twelfth  century.  *'  The  fc- 
cond  tenet  (faith  he)  that  diftinguiflied 
this  feft,  was  advanced  ia  oppofuion  to 
the  dodtrine  of  three  perfons  in  the  divine 
nature  5  for  they  maintained  that  Chrift 
was  no  more  than  thefirfl  and  pure fl  crea" 
tiire  of  God;  nor  will  their  adopting  this 
opinion  feem  fo  furprifing,  if""  we  confider 
the  prodigious  number  of  Arians  that 
were  fcattered  throughout  Italy  long  be- 
fore this  period  of  time."  vol.  IL  p.  456. 
Hiftory  alfo  makes  mention  of  other 
fedts  of  the  like  Unitarian  principles,  who 
were  often  confounded  with  the  Mani- 
cheans,  and  went  under  that  and  other 
obnoxious  names.  But  they  were  all,  in 
progrefs  of  time,  either  wholly  extirpated, 
or  driven  into  corners  and  filence.  For 
nothing  could  now  withftand  the  papal 
power,  backed,  as  it  were,  with  that  of  this 
whole  weftern  world.     **  The  princes  of 

the 


r  32  3 

the  earth,  (as  forefeen  and  foretold)  had 
one  mind f  and  agreed  to  give  their  powef 
end  lirength  unto  the  beafl.  —  Revelation 
xvii.  13,  17. 

So  that,  independent  of  its  truth,  or 
otherwifc,  it  mull  be  owned,  that  that 
which  is  called  the  catholic  doctrine  of 
the  Trinity,  was  firft  eftablifhed,  and  hath 
been  all  along  fupported,  by  violence  and 
the  fecular  power ;  an  argument  in  its  be- 
half furely  not  to  be  boafted  of,  and  con- 
cerning which  the  gofpel  of  Jefus  is  whol- 
ly filent. 


CHAP. 


[  33] 
CHAPTER     ir. 

6f  the  state  of  the  unitarian  doctrine,  in 
<)ur  own  country   more  especially,    from 
the  j£ra  of  the  reformation,  with  an  ac- 
count of  some  of  those  christians  who  have 
♦      pr©f£ssed  it. 

*  I  ^HE  principal  divifions  and  differences 
of  proteflants  amongft  us,  till  about 
ths  time  of  the  revolution,  chiefly  re- 
lated to  the  impofitlon  of  unfcriptural  rites 
and  ceremonies,  and  points  of  difcipline 
and  church-governtnent.  The  Puritans, 
the  inferior  and  perfecutcd  party,  (but 
who  became  perfecutors  in  their  turn  when 
they  had  the  power)  differed  not  at  all 
from  their  proteflant  brethren  in  the  doc- 
trinal points  of  the  Trinity,  incarnation^ 
original  fin,  works  before  jujiijicat ion,  pre* 
dellinatirm,  and  the  like.  Their  adverfa- 
rles,  and  archbifliop  Laud  at  the  head  of 
them,  were  the  firft  that  broke  the  ice  in 
this  refpecfr,  and  took  upon  them  to  refine 
away  th-e  plain  words  of  the  xxxlx  articles 
(agreed  upon  for  the  avoiding  of  diverfties  of 
opinion^)  which  they  difllked,  or  wijh 
which  they  found  themfelves  aggrieved. 
D  And 


[    34    1 

And  altho',  in  imitation  of  Heylin  then, 
and  Waterland  in  the  days  of  our  fathers. 
Dr.  Nowell  and  others  have  laboured  to  rid 
the  articles  of  holding  forth  the  melan- 
choly dodrine  of  an  arbitrary  elecSion  of 
fome  men  to  eternal  life, ,  and  rejedlion  of 
others,  yet  while  the  feventeenth  article 
remains,  vain  will  be  their  endeavours  to 
foften  the  horror  of  it  by  any  qualifying 
paflages  from  the  homilies,  or  particular 
expreffions  in  the  liturgy,  or  other  writings 
of  thofe  who  cornpiled  it. 

Will  they  allow  the  fame  kind  of  argu- 
ment to  be  ufed  and  conclufions  drawn, 
in  a  parallel  cafe  ?  It  may  then  be  proved, 
that  the  venerable  compilers  of  our  liturgy 
were  Arian  or  Sociftian.  For,  although 
in  the  litany  throughout,  and  in  many 
parts  of  the  morning,  evening,  and  com- 
munion-fervice,  a  Trinitarian  form  of  wor- 
fhip  is  adopted :  never thelefs,  the  ge^ 
neral  turn  of  addrefs  in  the  collefts 
2nd  prayers  is  to  God,  and  not  to 
Chrift  ;  and  the  Holy  Ghoft  is  almoft  left 
put  wholly  unworfhiped:  in  which  forms 
no  Arian  or  Socinian  would  refufe  to  join. 

But  the  minds  of  many,  both  of  the 
ekrgy  and  laity,  are  now  diftrefled  on  a 

fub. 


t  35  l 

fubjefl:  in  our  articles  and  liturgy,  of  far 
greater  rtidment  than  the  colour  of  the 
fninifters  vefltoents  of  the  pofture  at  the 
facrament,  or  even  the  Jeered  determina- 
tions of  the  divine  mind  about  the  future 
doom  of  his  creatures,  a  curlofity  which 
feems,  frorii  the  nature  of  the  thing,  un* 
hallov^ed  and  forbidden. 

The  proper  oije^  of  divine  worifhip 
was  a  matter  left  wholly  untouched  and 
iihenquired  into  by  the  leading  Divines, 
at  the  reformation  from  popery. 

The  philofophic  and  fcholaflic  language 
and  doctrine  concerning  the  Trinity,  which 
had  been  forming  and  fettling  from  the 
time  of  the  Nicene  council,  during  the 
cpo/facy  that  followed,  "was  never  called  in 
(jueftibn,  was  received  with  the  moft  im- 
plicit faith  and  reverence,  and  regarded 
as  fomethin'g  more  facred  even  than  holy 
fcripture  itfeif. 

The  greater  part  of  our  proteftant  pre- 
aeceflbrs,  unhappily  for  us,  feem  to  have 
had  a  fuperftitious  awe  and  dread  of  look- 
ing into  a  fubjeet  involved,  as  this  was, 
in  learned  myftery  and  darknefs.  Their 
prc:judice3  ran  fo  high  in  favour  of  it,  and 
D  2  they 


.        [  36  ) 

they  efteemed  it  fo  neceflary  and  funda- 
mental a  point,  that  they  could  not  fufFer 
the  leaft  doubt  of  it  in  their  own  minds, 
or  objection  from  others.  They  imagined 
the  glorious  work  of  reformation  from  the 
grofs  errors  and  idolatries  of  popery,  which, 
they  had  truly  at  heart,  would  be  fcanda- 
lized,  and  an  invincible  bar  put  to  its  pro- 
grefs,  were  any  heretical  opinions  about 
this  great  point,  to  be  found  amongft 
them  ;  orj  if  found,  not  feverely  animad- 
verted upon  and  puniflied. 

With  what  earneftnefs  does  Oecolam- 
padius  labour,  in  a  letter  to  Bucer,  Aug. 
5,  1531,  to  clear  himfelf  and  his  friends 
from  the  imputation  of  giving  any  coun- 
tenance to  Servetius  book  de  Trinitatis  er* 
roribus^  that  was  juft  then  come  out.  '*  I 
«*  defire  you  would  acquaint  Luther,  (fays 
«*  he)  that  this  book  was  printed  out  of 
<*  this  country,  and  without  our  know- 
«*  ledge*  Our  churches  will  be  very  ill 
<*  fpoken  of,  unlefs  our  divines  raake  it 
«*  their  bufmefs  to  cry  him  down.  I  be- 
««  feech  you  in  particular  to  keep  a  watch- 
*'  ful  eye  over  it,  and  to  make  an  apology 

"  for 


[    37    ] 

•*■  for  our  churches,  at   leaft  in  your  con- 
**  futation  infcribed  to  the  emperor  *." 

And  Moflieim  tells  us,  that  at  the  firft. 
dawn  of  the  reformation,  in  Germany  and 
Italy,  there  appeared  feme  who  dented  the 
divinity  of  Chrift.  **  But  the  efforts  of 
thefe  men  (faith  he)  were  oppofed  with 
united  zeal  and  vigilance,  by  the  Romifh, 
Reformed,  and  Lutheran  churches;"  i.e. 
iy  burning ,  and  putting  them  to  the  moft' 
cruel  deaths  -f*. 

To 

*  Account  of  Calvin's  treatment  of  Servetus--i724, 
p.  163.  The  letter  concludes  thus — "  We  know  not 
'*  how  that  beaft  came  to  creep  in  among  us.  He 
"  wrefts  all  paflages  of  fcripture  to  prove,  that  the 
<*  Son  is  not  coeternal  and  confubftantial  with  the 
««  Father,  and  that  the  man  Chrift  is  the  fon  of  God.'* 

t  Mofheim  accufes  thefe  perfons,  that  they  began 
t*o  undermine  the  dodtrine  of  G.hrift's  divinity,  and  the 
other  truths  that  are  connected  with  it,  and  propofed 
reducing  the  v/hole  of  religion  to  pra6tical  piety  and 
virtue."  There  could  be  nothing  furely  wrong  in  this* 
if  they  did  not  leave  out  of  their  fyftem  (2nd  we  have 
no  reafon  to  think  they  did  leave  out)  thofe  gofpel  mo- 
tives to  holinefs,  which  arofe  from  what  appeared  to 
them  the  true  nature  and  chara^er  of  Chriji^  and  the 
goodnefs  of  God  manifefted  in  him. 

Moflieim  is   a   vakiable   hiftorian,  ,good-tcmpercd, 

.^pd  in  general  candid.     But  he  was  a  warm  Lutheran, 

D  3  swid 


C  3S  3 

To  this  yiplput  and  extreme  prejudice, 
which  was  then  entertained  by  almoft  ^11, 
agai^ift  fuch  as  pppofed  the  dodrine  of  the 
Tripi^y;  and,  to  that  other  error  conr^Q€;$»» 
tgd  with  it,  that  it  v^as  lawful  to  put  he- 
retics to  deatk,  vvc  rauft  attribute  Calvin's,^ 
mofl  ungenerous  and  barbarous  behaviour 
towards  the  ingenious  Spanifli  phyfician^ 
and    innocent    fufferer,    Servettis,    whoox,. 
he    caufed    tq^    be    burn'd    alive  a^t   Qe^, 
neva,    for  his    opinions    coneerning  th^ 
Trinity ;  and  we  may  not  doubt,  but  that 
as  Calvin  fin'd  igncrantly  and  in  unbelief, 
this  extenuated   before  God  the  crime,  of 
that   his   otherwife  faithful  fervant,  and- 
Vrirtuous.  holy  man  ^* 

We 

and  alfo  a  condemner  of  all  thofe  whodid  not  hold  the 
three  perjans  in  the  Godhead  to  he  equal  id  each  other  in 
rank: and  dignity  \  and  is  therefore'  to  be  read  with  cau-  ' 
tion,  when  he  fpeaks  on  thefe  points.  See  what  he 
fays  of  Eufebius,  the  ecclefiaftical  hiftorian,  Vo],  I, 
p.  290, 

^,'Beza,  Galviai's-difciple,  takes  every  opportunity 
of  raking  in  the  aihes  of  this  unhappy,  much  fnjured 
perfon,  and  infulting  his  memory  after  he  was  dead. 
Take  one  fample  of.  his  fpirit'  from  h4s  comment  or? 
CploiT*  i.  15,  where  our  Saviour  Chrift  is  called //^^ 
firji'lorn  of  every  creature.     Sed  eft  notandus  quoqu^, 

hie 


I     39     J 

We  muft  make  the  fame  allowance  for 
our  reformers  in  England  at  this  period, 
who  were  a(5taated  by  the  fame  blind  zeal 
againft  the  Anti-trinitarians,  and  behaved 
with  no  lefs  barbarity  towards  fuch  as  had 
the  misfortune  to  fall  in  their  way. 

hie  locus  adverfus  impium  ilium  Servetum,  kc,  viz. 
<'  But  this  pallage  particularly  makes  againft  the  ira- 
pious  Servetus,  who  maintained,  that  Chrift  was  the 
fdn  of  God  Only  with  refpecSt  to  his  human  nature,  antl 
therefore  denied  that  he  was  the  eternal  fon  of  God. 
So  that  when  he  was  going  to  receive  the  juft  punifli- 
ment  of  his  blafphemy  (to  be  hurrid  alive  at  ajlake^ 
reader])  he  refufed  to  give  him  the  title  of  eternal  fon 
of  God,  though  Paul  here  proclaims  aloud,  that  be- 
fore any  creation,  i.  e.  from  eternity,  for  time  began 
Vjrith  creation,  he  not  only  was,  but  was  born."  But 
our  Dr.  Hammond,  tho'  otherwifefar  from  favourina: 
the  feiitiments  of  Servetus,  would  in  Beza's  account 
have  deferved  to  be  burn'd  alive  for  blafphemy  as  far  as 
this  text  of  fcripture  is  concerned,  for  he  could  fee  no 
fuch  dotSlrine  in  it  as  of  Chrift*s  eternity.  «'  The  word 
7r/:wT-oTo:'.of,  fays  he,  bcfides  the  ordinary  notion  of 
jirjl-born^  which  cannot  fo  well  here  refer  to  Chrift's 
eternal  generation,  becaufe  of  that  which  is  added  to 
it,  the  firft-born  of  every  creature^  which  only  gives 
him  a  precedence  before  all  other  creatures,  and  doth 
not  attribute  eternity  to  him;  is  ufe4-  fometimes  for 
lord,  or  perfon  in  power,  &c.** 

Hammnd  in  loc. 

D  4  Eifliop 


[     40  ] 

Bifliop  Burnet,  after  mentioning  a  poor 
wrong'  headed  woman,  that  was  burn*d  for 
feme  e:sftravagant  notions  concerning  Chrift, 
but  who,  as  he  obferves,  **  was  looked  up- 
on as  a  perfon  fitter  for  Bedlam  than  a 
flake;'*  goes  on  to  relate, 

*'  Sometime  after  that,  a  Dutchman, 
George  Van  Parre,  was  alfo  condemned  and 
burn'd  for  denying  the  divinity  of  Chrift, 
and  faying^  that   the  Father  only  was  God. 

'*  He  had  led  a  very  exemplary  life  both 
for  fafting,  devotion,  and  a  good  conver- 
sation;  and  fuffered  with  extraordinary 
compofednefs  of  mind.  Thefe  things  call 
a  great  blemifii  on  the  reformers.  It  was 
faid,  they  only  condemned  cruelty,  when 
it  was  exercifed  on  themfelves,  but  were 
ready  to  pradife  it  when  they  had  power. 
The  papifls  made  great  ufe  of  this  after- 
wards in  Queen  Mary*s  time ;  and  what 
Cranmer  and  Ridley  then  fuffered,  was 
thought  a  jufl  retaliation  on  them,  from 
that  wife  providence,  that  c^ifp^^f^^  ^11 
things  juftly  to  all  men  *." 

*  Burnetts  abridgmept  of  the  hiflory  of  the  reforma- 
tipn,  vol.ii.  p.  ;^'9,  8o,  8i,  82. 

Thi^. 


[     41     3 

This  fliocking  cruelty  of  the  Englifh  * 
and  foreign  reformers  towards  men  who, 
in  the  ufe  of  their  own  underftandings, 
and  from  fearching  into  the  fcriptures, 
maintained  that  the  Father  only  'was  Gcd 
and  to  be  worfhiped,  feems  to  have 
prevented  their  forming  themfclves  into 
churches  and  focieties,  and  terrified  them 
into  filence,  if  it  did  not  for  a  time  check 
^11  enquiry  into  fuch  dangerous  points  ; 
for  there  is  a  degree  of  perfecqtion  which 
human  nature  cannot  withftand. 

But  fuch  intolerance  towards  their  bre- 
thren and  fellow-proteflants,  was  lefs  ex- 
cufeable  in  men,  who  them/elves^  againll 
opinions  fandified  by  the  authority  of 
ages,  and  in  contradiction  to  the  eftablidi- 
ed  religion  of  their  country,  had  afferted, 

*  Thefe  perfecutions,  in  which  Biiliop  Ridley 
is  faid  to  have  borne  a  principal  part,  fiiould  not 
have  been  omitted  in  the  life  of  that  blfliop,  pub- 
liflied  by  Gloccfter  Ridley,  LL.  B.  1763.  Perfecu- 
tors,  and  murderers  of  cojifcientious  men,  on  whar- 
ever  pretence,  heathen,  papal,  or  proteftant,  fhould 
be  hcjd  up  to  juft  infamy  on  that  account,  however 
worthy  in  other  refpects  and  fnining  through  blind 
paflion  and  ignorance,  as  did  thefe  eminent  perfons 
Cranmcr  and  Ridley. 

and 


[      42       1 

and  matle  ufe  of  their  own  right  of  private 
judgment  in  interpreting  the  Icriptufcs. 
if  they  might  take  fuch  a  latitude  and  liber- 
ty in  what  appeared  wrong  and  grievous 
to  them  in  the  popifli  efiabliflhment,  why 
take  upon  themfelves  to  abridge  otkeri  of 
the  fame  liberty  and  privilege  with  refpeft 
to  their  new  proteftant  cftablifhment  >  atid 
ered:  themfelves  into  lb  many  popes,  in- 
ftead  of  him  at  Rome,  whofe  yoke  they 
had  fo  lately  thrown  off? 

Methinks  I  htear  thefe  reformers  f^y, 
(and  fonie  perhaps  now  would  not  ftick  to 
fay)  thattho'  blafphemous  opinions  againft 
the  Trinity  which  thefe  men  propagated, 
were  to  be  flopped  at  any  rate  and  by 
the  fevereft  punifiiment,  as  an  infult 
upon  God,  tending  to  bring  religion  into 
contempt,  and  make  the  worfliip  of  God 
negleded.  And  did  they  themfelves  lefs 
blafphemc  or  infalt  the  facramental  God 
which  the  papiils  worfhiped,  when  they 
called  it  awafer-Gbdi,  and  refufed  to  own 
and  worship  it  ? 

But  the  papifls,  continued^  tliciy,  were 
palpably  in  the  wrong,  and  guilty  of  di- 
rect idolatry  and    breach   of    the  feco,od 

com- 


f    43     ] 

cpxpmapdmcDt  in  vvorflhipping»  as  the  fu- 
pr^mQ.  God^  what  was  obviouily  nothhig 
bi^t  a-  pieice  of  bx^ead  or  cake.     And  did, 
^y^  ^FP^^f  ^^f^  guilty  io  the  eyes  of  the 
p^pifts,  wlio,  refufcd   to  worfliip  the  true 
Qqd  wjiercver  fee  waa  owned":  really  and 
io^m^diatdy  prefeat  ?  For  Chrift,.  whom; 
^^y  h^ldy  with  the  papifts,  to  be  the  fu- 
pre^^  God  5  a:)d  whofe  real  prefence  (fa 
qalkdV  ip,  the  faqrameat  they  alfo  main- 
tained ;  had  faid.  of  the  facramentai  bread, 
thU.  is  ?ny.  kodj/-9  and  their  papal  adverfaries 
wo.uld  well  reply,  that  he  who  was  the  truth 
ijcfdf  was  fcttely  to  be  believed  in  what  he 
faid>  and   to   be.  worijiiped,  wherever  his 
body  afid  prefence  were  acknowledged. 
^  But  ttbejfe  Arians,  faid  thefe  Proteftant} 
perfecirtors,  Tapped  the  v^ry  foundations 
qf  Chriflianity,  denied  the  divinity  of  Chr id ^ 
and  the  atonement i  and  thai  Jefiis  was  to  be 
worjbiped.  as  God,      And   did    not    them- 
felves.  deny  what   to   the  papifts  appeared 
equally  fundamental ;  namely,  that  there- 
is  only  one,  holy,   Roman,  catholic,  apo- 
ftolic. church,  out  of   which  there  is  no 
falvation  ? 

What  does  all  this  on  both  fides  amount 
tO!  but  barely  averring,  ^^  We  are  in  the: 


right, 


[    44    ] 

right,  you  are  in  the  wrong  ?*'  In  fliort, 
by  punifliing  their  Proteftant  brethren  for 
diflenting  from  them  upon  the  dodlrine 
of  the  Trinity  or  any  other  point,  they 
fully  juftified  the  papifts  in  putting  them 
or  their  fathers  to  the  flake,  and  contri- 
buted all  that  in  them  lay  to  perpetuate 
perfecution  and  murdering  of  confcientious 
men,  in  ail  countries  to  the  end  of  time. 

Alas !  Proteftants  had  then  to  learn  (I 
would  there  were  none  who  had  yet  to 
learn)  the  unalienable  rights  of  confcience, 
and  the  liberty  from  all  human  controul 
m  that  refpect  wherewith  Chrift  hath 
made  us  free  :  they  had  to  learn  the  com- 
mon equality  of  all  men  in  the  things  of 
God,  the  full  import  of  that  exprefs  in- 
jundion  of  their  divine  mafter,  Matth. 
:<xiii.  8.  «'  J5f  Jiot  ye  called  Rabbiy  for  one 
is  sour  mailer  y  even  Chrifl  5  and  all  ye  are 
brethren  :"  They  had  alfo  to  learn  the  />z- 
7iocency  of  error^  from  which  none  can 
plead  exemption ;  and  to  bear  with  each 
other  in  their  differing  apprehenfions  con- 
cerning the  nature  of  the  firft  great  caufe 
and  Father  of  all,  and  the  perfon  of  Chriflv 
and  the  manner  and  date  of  his  deriving 
his  being  and  high  perfections  from  God  ^ 

a  point 


[45] 

a  point  this  latter,  which  was  dark- 
ened and  perverted  at  the  very  firft 
by  philofophy  and  vain  fcience  of  the  learn- 
ed heathen  converts,  from  which  it  hath 
not  yet  recovered  itfelf :  but  furely  it  mud 
alfo  be  owned  to  have  been  left  involved 
in  fome  obfcurity  by  God  himfclf  in  the 
writings  of  the  apoftles,  (otherwife  fo  ma- 
ny men,  wife  and  good,  would  not  have 
differed,  and  ftill  continue  to  differ  con* 
cerning  it ;)  and  fo  left,  it  fhould  feem, 
on  purpofe  to  whet  human  induftry  and 
the  fpirit  of  enquiry  in  the  things  of  God, 
to  give  fcope  for  the  exercife  of  men's 
charity  and  mutual  forbearance  of  one  ano- 
ther, and  to  be  one  great  means  of  culti- 
vating the  moral  difpofitions,  which  is 
plainly  the  defign  of  the  holy  fpirit  of 
God  in  the  Chriftian  revelation,  and  not 
any  high  perfeftion  in  knowledge  which 
fo  few  can  attain. 

One  is  grieved  to  find  the  reign  of  our 
great  princefs  Elizabeth,  ftained  with  th^. 
blood  of  men,  who,  if  they  were  miftaken 
in  thefc  abflrufe  points,  were  innocently 
fo;  for  I  find  nx)  fedition  or  crime  laid  to 
their  charge,  but  only  obftin^xy  in  error, 

Bifhop 


f  46  1 

Biihop  Burnet  *  fpeaks  of  feme  Aha- 
baptifts,  who  in  the  reign  of  Ed\vard  VI. 
had  fled  hither  frotii  Germany,  whbfe 
peculiar  fentiment  about  baptifm,  faith  he, 
was  the  mildeft  of  the  opinions  that  thty 
held;  for  their  errors  Were,  **  That  thttb 
**  was  not  a  Trinity  of  perforts ;  that 
**  Chrift  was  not  God,  and  took  riot  flefh 
*«  of  the  virgin;  and  that  a  regenerate 
*^  man  could  not  fin  •}-.'* 

Of  this  fed:  were  thofe,  I  preftittid,  of 
whom  Fuller  writes  J.  *'  On  Eafter-^day, 
1575*  was  difclofed  a  congregation  of 
Dutch  Anabaptifts  without  Aldgate,  in 
London,  whereof  feven  and  twenty  were 

*  Abridgment  of  hift.  of  reformation,  vol.  ii.  p.  81* 
t  Mofheim  relates,  that  at  the  very  beginning  o^^ 
the  reformation,  fevei"al  that  went  under  the  name  of 
Anabaptifts  oppofed  the  received  doftfine  of  the  Tri-  • 
jiity.  And  it  appears  from  Burnet,  that  this  was  one 
of  the  common  tenets  of  the  Anabaptifts,  at  leaft  of 
many  of  them.  It  is  probable,  that  thefe  people  wer^ 
of  the  number  of  thofe,  who,  as  he  tells  us  in  anbther 
place,  before  the  time  of  Luther  and  Calvin,  hy  con- 
cealed in  almoft  all  the  countries  of  Europe,  particu- 
larly in  Bohemia,  Moravia,    Sv^ritzerland,  ail^  G^r-* 

many. See  ecclefi^ftical  hiftory,  vol,  iv.  p,  132* 

169,  and  p.  183,  note. 
J  Church  hiftory  of  Britain,  book  ix.  p.  104,  I05. 

taken 


f    47    3 

taken  and  imprifoned,  and  four,  bearing 
faggots  at  Paul's  Crofs,  folemnly  recanted 
their  dangerous  opinions." 

*^  Next  month,  one  Dutchman  and  ten 
women  were  condemned,  one  of  whom 
was  converted  to  renounce  her  errors, 
eight  were  banifhed  the  land,  but  two  of 
thefe  unhappy  creatures,  more  obftinate 
than  the  reft,  v/erc  burned  in  vSmithfield, 
and  died  (fays  my  author)  in  great  horror, 
with  crying  and  roaring." 

Our  pious  and  very  learned  martyrolo- 
gift,  John  Fox,  whom  the  queen  alvvavs 
cMed  ber  father  Fipx,  wrote  to  Elizabeth 
at  the  time,  to  move  her  to  fpare  thefe 
poor  wretches,  or  at  leaft  to  mitigate  their 
fentence,  and  change  it  into  banifbment, 
or  fome  other  death  iefs  horrible  and  inhu- 
man. Fuller  has  preferved  to  us  his  let- 
ter*, penned  in  Latin,  a  language  the  queen 
well  underrtood,  and  the  common  lan- 
guage of  princes  and  the  learned  in  thofe 
days.  It  is  little  inferior  to  the  pure  com- 
pofitions  of  the  Auguftan  age,^  and  is  en- 
forced with  fuch  perfuafive  eloquence  and 

*  Fuller  beihg  not  in  every  one's  hands,  and  faid  to 
■  be  growing  fcarce,  I.  put  the  original  in  an  appendix  at 
the  ^nd  of  the  book. 

argument, 


r  48  ] 

argument,  that  one   wonders   it   did  not 
prevail  ^. 

It  is  by  the  fame  honed  and  ufeful  hif- 
torian,  that  we  are  informed  of  another 
perfon,  who  was  burnt  for  herefy  in 
Smithficld,  in  the  next  reign*  He  has 
obliged  us  with  a  very  circumftantial  hif- 
tory  of  the  man  and  his  pejiiknt  opiniojis, 
as  he  calls  them,  but  not  without  premi^ 
fing  a  very  fingular  caution  againft  them  -f-. 

*'  His 

*  Fuller  thus  apologizes  for  Elizabeth  :  "  Indeed 
<3amnable  were  their  impieties,  and  fhe  neceffitated  ta 
this  feverity,  who  having  formerly  punifiied  fome  trai- 
tors^ if  now  fparing  thefe  blafphemers^  the  world  would 
condemn  her,  as  being  more  earneft  in  afferting  her 
own  fafety^  than  God's  honour^ 

Our  Saviour  Chrift,  defcribing  beforehand  to  hi'3 
difciples  the  blind  zeal  and  calm  cruelty  of  their  ad- 
verfarics,  John  xvi,  2. — "  Yea^  the  time  cometh,  faith 
he,  that  whofoever  kilkth  you,  will  think  that  he  doth 
God  fervice/'  This  has  been  too  fad ly "verified  even 
by  his. followers  in  dcftroying  one  another,  which  was 
an  extreme  not  then  to  be  thought  of.  'Tis  to  be 
hoped,  that  the  Chriftian  world  has  learned  a  better 
lelTon,  after  pradtifmg  this  bad  one  fo  long,  and  that 
the  time  is  now  over,  God  wanteth  no  Jiich  ftrvices. 
He  is  able  and  ready  to  vindicate  his  own  honour  when 
injured,  if  it  can  be  injured,  which  it  cannot,  by  the 
fpeculations  of  his  fmcere  and  erring  creatures* 

t  <' Before  wc  fet  down  his  peftilent  opinions,  may 
writer  add  leader  fence  them felves  with  prayer  to  God, 

againft 


[  49  J 

^«  His  damnable  tenets  (faith  he,  book  a. 
p.  63.)  were  as  foiloweth. 

I .  ^hat  the  creed  called  the  Nicene  crcedf 
and  Athanajlus  creeds  contain  not  a  profef^ 
fion  of  the  true  Chriftian  faith. 

2  k  fhat  Cbrifl  is  not  God  of  God,  be^ot-^ 
*  ten,  not  made ;  but  begotten^  and  made, 

3.  T^hat  there  are  no  per  fins  in  the  Godheads 

4.  That  Chri/i  was  not  Godjrom  ever  la Ih" 
ing^  but  began  to  be  Ged^  ivhen  he  tookfefi 
of  the  Virgin  Mary. 

5.  That  the  world  was  not  made  by  Cbrifi^ 

6.  That  the  apo files  teach  Chrifi  to  be  man 
enly. 

7.  That  there  is  no  generation  in  God,  but 
ef  creatures, 

8.  That  this  affertiony  God  to  be  made 
man,  is  contrary  to  the  rule  of  faiths  and 
monjlrous  blafphemy, 

9.  That  Chri/i  was  not  before  thefulnefs 
of  timCy  except  by  promife. 

10.  That  Chriji  was  not  God,,  otherivife- 
than  an  anointed  God. 

againft  the  infevStioti  thereof;  left  otherwifcj  touching- 
fuch  pitch  (though  but  with  the  bare  mention)  defile 
us,  cafually  tempting  -a  temptation  in  us,  and  awaking 
fome  corruption,  which  otherv/ife  would  fleep  filently 
in  our  fouls,"    '  . 

E  C  u.  That 


1 1 .  That  Chriji  was  not  in  the  form  of 
God  equal  with  Gody  that  is,  infubflance  of 
God y  but  in  righteoufnefs ,  and  giving  jalvation* 

12.  That  ChriJI  by  his  Godhead  wrought 
no  miracle. 

13.  That  ChriJI  is  not  ta  be  prayed  unto^^ 
This   perfon   feems  to  have  agreed  in 

fentiment  intirely  with  thofe  called  Soci- 
nians,  though  Fuller  calls  him  an  Arian  > 
but  this  laft  feems  to  have  been  a  general 
name  then  given  to  all  that  denied  the  di- 
vinity of  Chrift. — But  to  go  on  with  his 
hiftory. 

"  This  year,  161 1,  that  Arian  fufFered 
in  Smithfield,  being  burn'd  to  death.  His 
name  Bartholomew  Legate,  native  county, 
Effex,  perfon  comely,  complexion  black* 
age  about  forty  years.  Of  a  bold  fpirit, 
confident  carriage,  fluent  tongue,  excel- 
hntiy  fkilled  in  the  fcriptures ;  and  well 
had  it  been  for  him,  if  he  had  knowr^ 
them  lefs,  or  underftood  them  better ; 
vvhofe  ignorance  abufed  the  word  of  God, 
therewith  to  oppofe  God  the  Word.  His 
convcrfation,  for  aught  I  can  learn  to  the 
contrary,  very  unblameable." 

*'  King  fames  (proceeds  our  hiftorian) 
caufed  thi«  Legate  often  to  be  brought  to 

him. 


t  51  ] 

Hm,  and  ferioufly  dealt  with  him  jto  en- 
deavour his  converfion.      One  time    the 
king  had   a  mind  to  furprize  him  into  a 
confeffion  of  Chrift's  deity  (as  his  majefty 
afterwards  declared   to  a  right  reverend 
prelate,  archbifhop  Uflier)  by  afking  him, 
whether  or  no  be  did  not  daily  pray  to  yefus 
Chrili  ?  which  had  he  acknowledged,  the 
king  would  infallibly   have  inferred,  that 
Legate  tacitly  confented  to  Chrift's  divini- 
ty, as  a  fearcher  of  the  heart.     But  here- 
in his  majefty  failed  of  his  expectation. 
Legate  returning,  that  indeed  he  had  prayed 
to  Chrift  in  the  days  of  his  ignorance,  but 
not  for  thefe  laft  feven  years.     Hereupon 
the  king  in  choler  fpurned  at  him  with  his 
foot;  away^  hafijellow^  (faith  he)  it JJoall 
never  be /aid  that  onejiayeth  in  my  prefence^ 
that  hath  never  prayed  to  Our  Saviour  for 
feven  years  together.'' 

There  feems  not  any  thing  in  Legated 
reply,  deferving  fuch  an  indecent  and  un- 
manly refentment.  Did  the  Lord  Jefus 
ever  injpin  men  to  pray  to  him  ?  Did  he 
not  on  the  contrary  always  offer  up  his  own 
prayers  to  God,  hii  Father  and  our  Father^ 
his  Gcd  and  our  God,  John  xx.  17.  and  al- 
fo  direct  us  fo  to  do  in  our  devotions  5  '•^hen 


[    52    1 

ye  p?^ayi  fcy^  Our  Father  which  art  in  hea^ 
*ven  ?  Luke  xi.  2. 

Bat  bigotry  and  zeal  for  certain  opi- 
nions, often  little  founded  in  God's  word, 
have  too  generally  be^n  fuppofed  to  mike 
up  for  defefts  in  Chriftian  obedience  and 
moral  righteoufnefs.  Hiftorians  reprefent 
this  prince,  as  a  man  void  of  fincerity  and 
integrity,  a  common  fwearer,  intenipe- 
rate,  of  very  blameable  obfcehe  converfa- 
lion,  and  who  changed  his  religion,  fuch 
as  it  was,  juft  as  his  paflions  and  intereft 
direded:  in  Scotland,  a  warm  Prefbyte- 
rian  and  hater  of  ceremonies;  then,  when 
he  croffed  the  Tweed,  a  moft  {launch 
churchman,  a  rigid  Calvinift  all  the  while  y 
then  more  than  half  inclined  towards  Po- 
pery ;  and  at  laft,  verging  towards  Armi-* 
nianifm,  as  Laud,  his  favourite  Bucking- 
ham's favourite  and  confeflbr,  was  rifing 
into  play  and  power. 

**  In  the  next  month  (as  the  fame  hif- 
torian  goes  on  to  acquaint  us)  Edward 
Wightman^  of  Burton  upon  Trent,  con- 
vicfted  before  Richard  Neile,  biQiop  of 
Coventry  and  Litchfield,  was  burned  at 
Litchfield  for  far  worfe  opinions  (if  worfe 
might  be)  than  Legate  maintained.    Mary 

Magdalene 


Magdalene  indeed  was  pofieiled  v/lth/even 
^evils,  but  *  ten  feveral  herefies  were  laid  to 
Wightmans  charge ;  namely,  thofe  of  E^ 
bion,Cerinthus,Valentinian,  Arius,  Mace- 
donius,  Simon  Magus,  Manes, Manichaeus, 
Photinus,  and  of  the  Anabaptifls." 
,  This  lift  of  no  lefs  than  ten  herefies, 
for  which  this  perfon  was  condemned  to 
fo  {hocking  a  death,  is  very  formidable, 
and  deferves  to  be  examined.  Ebion,  or 
the  Ebionites,  Arius  and  Photinus,  feve- 
rally  held  opinions  concerning  Chrift,  in- 
compatible with  each  other;  therefore 
Wightman  could  but  be  charged  with  one 
of  the  three.  Manes  and  Manichasus,  are 
names  of  one  and  the  fame  perfon  or  feft. 
Of  Simon  Magus,  Origen  tells  us  ex- 
prefsly,  (contr.  Cels,  1.  vi,  p.  272.)  that 
ha  was  a  total  unbeliever,  letting  himfelf 
up,  and  being  fet  up  by  his  followers,  as 
a  rival  to  Chrift.  Here  then  are  four  of 
thefe  herefies  ftruck  off  the  lift. 

BHhop  Neile  is  upon  record  in  our  hif- 
tories,  but  not  for  fuch  qualities  as  St. 
Paul,  in  his  letter   to  Timothy,  requires 

*  So  reckoned  up  in  the  warrant  for  his  burning, 
fuller,  Book  x,  p.  64. 

E  3  in 


t     54    1 

in    the   cpifcopal    characHier.     But    furely 

moft  unfit  was  he  to  fit  in  the  feat  of  juf- 
tice,  who  betrayed  fiich  ignorance  of  what 
he  was  to  decide  upon,  as  to  condemn  a 
man  for  opinions  which  it  was  impofliblc 
for  him  to  hold.  But  there  will  be  a  re- 
hearing in  a  future  world  of  thofe  caufes, 
where  frail  mortals  have  been  condemned 
for  involuntary  errors  of  judgment,  and  a 
rcvcrfal  of  every  unrighteous  fentence, 
JFl0om  oi  Solomon,  v.  i,  2. 

I  (hall  tranfcribe  one  more  paragraph 
from  our  author. 

**  About  this  time,  a  Spanifh  Arian 
being  condemned  to  die,  was  notwith- 
ftanding  fuffered  to  linger  out  his  life  in 
Newgate,  where  he  ended  the  fame.  In- 
deed, fuch  burning  of  heretics  much  fi:ar- 
tled  common  people,  pitying  all  in  pain, 
and  prone  to  afperfe  juftice  itfelf  with 
cruelty,  becaufe  of  the  novelty  and  hide- 
oufnefs  of  the  punifliment.  And  the  pur- 
blind eyes  of  vulgar  judgments  looked 
only  to  what  \v2is  next  to  them,  the  fuf- 
fering  itfelf,  which  they  beheld  with  com- 
pafliion,  not  minding  the  demerit  of  the 
guilt  which  deferved  the  fame.  Befidcs, 
fuch  being  unable  to  diftinguifli  betwixt 

conjlancy 


[    55    3 

ccmflancy  and  obftmacy^  were  ready  to  en- 
tertain good  thoughts  even  of  the  opinions 
of  thofe  heretics  who  fealed  them  fo  man- 
fully with  their  blood.  Wherefore  king 
James  foUficly  preferred,  that  heretics 
hereafter,  though  condemned,  (hould  fi- 
lently  and  privately  wafte  thcmfelves  away 
*  in  the  prifon,  rather  than  to  grace  them, 
and  amufe  others  with  the  folemnity  of  a 
public  execution,  which  in  popular  judg- 
ments ufurped   the   honour  of   a   perfe- 


cution."* 


I  make  no  comments.  The  reader  will 
make  many  for  himfelf.  But  fome  will 
be  pleafed  to  contrail  the  fpirit  and  temper 
of  this  firft  of  the  Stuarts,  with  that  well 
attefled  anecdote  of  George  II.  of  righ- 
teous and  merciful  memory  s  **  who  put  a 
*\  flop  to  a  profecution  in  the  ecclefi- 
**  aftical  courts,  commenced  againft  the 
**  late  Dr.  Doddridge  by  fome  dignitaries 
**  of  the  church  of  England,  for  fetting 
**  up  an  academy,  and  teaching  youth 
*'  learning  and  religion,  in  the  town  of 
*'  Northampton;  warmly  declaring  upon 
**  the  occalion,  that,  during  his  reigUy  there 
*  *  JJdouldbenoptrJecutvjnfor  confcienceJake-\ . ' ' 

•  *  Fuller,  as  above,  p.  64. 
t  Life  of  Doddridge  by  Orton,  p.  251,  252. 

E  4  During 


[    5^   ] 

During  the  troubles  of  the  next  reigri, 
we  find  Mr.  '^ohn  Biddle  in  cuftody  for  his 
opinions ;  and  his  writings  againft  the 
deity  of  Chrift,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
were  ordered  to  be  burn'd  by  the  hands  of 
the  common  hangman.  Some  zealots  of 
the  aflembly  of  (Prefbyterian)  divines, 
moved  that  he  might  be  put  to  death  :  for 
he  was  fo  bold  in  propagating  his  opinion, 
that  he  gave  great  offence  by  it. 

It  was  happy  for  him,  thefe  Prefbyte- 
rian  divines  had  not  power  equal  to  their 
good-will,  or  he  might  have  been  burn'd 
in  the  fame  fire  with  his  writings.  The 
parliament  underflood  better  the  rights  of 
nature  and  of  mankind,  altho'  they  gave 
way  to  his  being  imprifoned,  perhaps  to- 
fcreen  him  from  his  enemies.  And,  with 
the  fame  humane  view  afterwards,  when 
the  council  had  fent  him  to  Newgate  for 
giving frefli  difturbance  by  hi^  boldnefs,  the 
protestor  thought  it  bed  to  fend  him  out  of 
the  way,  and  accordingly  tranfported  him 
to  Scilly,  and  allowed  him  one  hundred 
crowns  a  year  for  his  maintenance.  The 
ufurper  Cromwell,  with  all  his  fins  againft 
^he  liberties  of  his  country,  **  always  pro^ 

feffed 


[     57    3 

fefled  *  it  to  be  his  belief,  that  7nen  had  a 
right  to  think  a7id  aB  for  the?n/elvcs  in  mat- 
ters of  religion^  and  that  fo  long  as  they  be^ 
haved  peaceably  y  they  were  free  to  dijjent  from 
the  magiftrate  and  the  prieft"  This  is 
highly  to  his  honour  :  and  his  pra;5lice  was 
conformable  to  his  principles. 

Biddle  remained  in  the  ifle  of  Scilly  till 
the  year:  1658,  when  the  noife  being  over, 
he  was  fet  at  liberty.  After  the  protec- 
tor's death  he  fet  up  a  private  conventicle 
in  London,  which  coxitinued  till  the  re- 
ftoration,  when  the  church  being  reftored 
to  its  coercive  power,  he  was  apprehended 
while  preaching,  and  committed  to  pri- 
fon,  .where  he  died  in  September,  1662. 
He  had  fuch  a  prodigious  memory,  that 
he  could  repeat  all  St.  Paul's  epiflles  in 
'Greek,  and  was  reckoned  by  thofe  of  his 
perfuafion  a  fober  man,  and  fo  devout, 
that  he  feldom  prayed  without  lying  pro- 
iirate  on  the  ground  •f-."  **  It  was  one  of 
Mr.  Biddies  leffons,  that  it  is  a  duty, 
not  only  to  relieve,  but  to  vifit  the-  fick 
and  poor;  becaufe  they  are  hereby  encou- 

*■  Harris's  life  of  Oliver  Cromwell,  p.   4c,  43. 
f  Neal's  hiftory  of  the  Puritans,  vol.   iv,  p.  136, 

raged 


I  58  ] 

rsged  and  comforted,  and  We  come  to 
know  of  what  nature  and  degree  their 
ftraits  are,  and  that  fomc  are  more  worthy 
of  affiftance  than  others  :  and  their  condi- 
tion being  known,  fometimes  we  are  able 
to  affift  them  by  our  counfel  or  our  inte- 
reft,  much  more  effedtually  than  hy  the 
charity  we  do  or  can  beftow  upon  thern.*' 
"^Life  of  Mr.  Thomas  Firming  p.  10,  1 1, 

It  Would  be  inexcufeable  to  pafs  over* 
in  filence,  a  difciple  of  Mr*  Biddies^  an 
Unitarian,  and  great  fupport  of  their  caufc  ; 
one,  though  not  diftinguiftied  by  nobility 
of  birth,  or  titles,  or  deep  learning,  yet 
in  real  ufefulnefs  to  mankind  the  firft  citi- 
zen of  the  firft  city  in  the  world ;  and 
likely  to  keep  his  pre-eminence  in  the  hea- 
venly Jerufalem,  if  being  indefatigably 
aftive  and  eminent  in  doing  good,  in  af- 
fifting  and  relieving  the  poor,  beyond  all 
other  men ;  if  integrity,  piety,  humility, 
and  adive  endeavours  in  the  caufe  of  truth 
and  virtue,  can  intitle,  and  nothing  elfe 
can  intitle  the  faithful  Chriftian  to  that 
high  diftinftion  and  honour. 

This  was  Mr.  Thomas  Firmin^  mer- 
chant and  citizen  of  London  j  a  name  now, 
it  may  be,  unknown  to  many,  yet  the 
^  friend 


t     59     ] 

friend  of  Whichcote,  Worthington,  Wil- 
kins.  Fowler,  Tillotfon ;  with  all  whom 
he  lived  in  friendfliip,  and  in  the  greateft 
intimacy  with  fome  of  them,  notwith- 
ftanding  their  wide  difference  in  opinion, 
which  he  never  diffembled,  nor,  to  their 
honour  be  it  recorded,  did  it  caufe  any 
eoolnefs  in  their  regards  towards  him. 

*«  Mr.  Btddle  firft  perfuaded  him^,  thdt 
the  Unity  of  God  is  an  Unity  of  per/on  as 
well  as  of  nature ;  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
indeed  a  perfon,  but  not  God.  He  had  a 
great  and  juft  efteem  for  Mr.  Biddies  piety, 
exemplarinefs,  and   learning ;  and  is  that 

'* '  *  "  Mr.  Firmin's  zeal  for  his  inftru6^or  was  fo 
great,  that  he  ventured,  while  he  was  only  an  appren- 
tice, to  deliver  a  petition  for  his  releafe  out  of  New- 
gate to  Oliver  Cromwel),  who  gave  him  this  fhortan- 
fwer :  "  You  curl-pate  boy  you,  do  you  think  I'll 
(hew  any  favour  to  a  man  who  denies  his  Saviour,  and 
difturbs  the  government  ?" — Birch's  life  of  Jillotforiy 
p.  293. 

This  does  not  contradict  what  was  above  remarked 
of  Cromwell's  tolerating  principles.  It  might  be  ne- 
ceflary  for  the  chief  governor  of  the  nation  to  fay  this 
in  public  in  thofe  times,  efpecially  to  fo  young  a  pcti- 
tioncF.  And  there  is  a  pleafantry  and  good-nature  in 
his  manner,  of  which  the  gloomy  bigot  js  utterly  inca- 
pable. This  is  farther  confirmed  by  his  allowing  him 
25I.  a  year  to  fupport  him  in  his  exile,  no  inconfidera- 
blc  fum  in  thofe  days. 

friend, 


r  60  ] 

friend,  mentioned  in  Mr.  Biddle'%  life,  who 
gave  him  his  bed  and  board,  till  he  was 
fent  prifoner  by  protector  Cromwell  to  the 
ifle  of  Scilly  \  and  when  there,  Mr  Firmiriy 
with  another  friend,  procured  him  a  yearly 
penfion  of  a  hundred  crowns  from  the 
protedor,  befides  what  he  obtained  from 
other  friends,  or  gave  himfeif  *." 

Archbi(hop  Tillotibn,  in  his  fermon  at 
the  funeral  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Tho.  Gouge, 
fays,  **  This  was,  I  think,  that  which 
gave  the  firft  hint  to  that  worthy  and  ufe- 
fol  citizen,  Mr.  Thomas  Firming  of  a 
much  larger  defign,  which  hath  been 
profecuted  by  him  for  fome  years,  with 
that  vigour  and  great  fuccefs  in  this  city, 
that  many  hundreds  of  poor  children  and 
fethers,  who  lived  idle  before,  unprofit- 
able both  to  themfelves  and  the  public, 
are  continually  maintained  in  work,  and 
taught  to  earn  their  own  livelihood :  he 
being,  by  the  generous  affiftance  and  cha- 
rity of  many  Well-difpofed  perfons  of  all 
ranks,  enabled  to  bear  the  unavoidable 
lofs  and  charge  of  fo  vaft  an  undertaking  j 

*  Life  of  Mr.  Thomas  FIrmin,  p.  10. 
See  alfo  a  fine  letter  of  CromwelTs  to  the  governor 
of  Edinburgh  calHe,  mlfhitelock's  mtmoudLh^  P- 459* 

-^nci 


f     6i     ] 

and  by  his  own  forward  inclination  to  cha- 
rity, and  his  unwearied  diligence  and  ac- 
tivity, extraordinarily  fitted  to  fuftain  and 
go  through  the  incredible  pains  of  it." 

"  During  his  lafl:  ficknefs,  which  was 
very  (hort,  he  was  vifited  by  his  moft  deal- 
friend  (Dr.  Fowler)  the  bifliop  of  Glou- 
cefter.  What  palled  between  them,  his 
Lordfliip  hath  made  me  to  know,  under 
his  own  hand,  in  thefe  words :  **  Mr, 
**  Firmin  told  me,  he  was  now  going  :  and 
^*  I  truft,  faid  he,  God  will  not  condemn 
**  me  to  worfe  company,  than  I  have 
*'  loved  and  ufed  in  the  prefent  life.  I 
*'  replied,  that  he  had  been  an  extraordi- 
**  nary  example  of  charity  :  the  poor  had 
"  a  wonderful  blefling  in  you  :  I  doubt 
**  not,  thefe  works  will  follow  you,  if 
**  you  have  no  expectation  from  the  merit 
**  of  them,  but  rely  on  the  infinite  good - 
«'  nefs  of  God,  and  the  merits  of  our  Sa- 
'*  viour.  Here  he  anfwered,  I  Co  fo  :  and 
"  I  fay,  in  the  words  of  my  Saviour,  "ii^^hen 
**  /  have  done  all,  I  am  but  an  unprofitable 
"  fervantr  He  was  in  fuch  an  agony  of 
body  for  want  of  breath,  that  I  did  not 
think  fit  to  fpeak  more  to  him,  but  only 
ga\re  him  affurancc  of  m'j  earncH:  prayers 

for 


r  62  ] 

for  him,  while  he  remained  in  this  v/orld. 
Then  I  took  a  folemn  and  afFedionatc 
farewel  of  him ;  and  he  of  me  *." 

Mr.  Firming  although  no  writer  him- 
felf,  was  a  great  encourager  and  publiftier 
of  the  works  of  others,  and  had  fome  con- 
cern in  feveral  volumes  of  Unitarian  tradls^ 
publiflied  about  the  time  of  the  revolution. 
His  life,  from  which  the  above  extracts 
are  made,  is  worthy  to  be  perufed ;  as  al- 
fo  an  admirable  fermon,  occafioned  by  his 
death,  printed  along  with  it. 

In  the  year  1694  began  the  great  conteft 
concerning  the  Trinity,  betwixt  two  cele- 
brated doftors  of  the  church,  Sherlock  and 
South;  each  of  them  reputed  and  reputing 
himfelf  orthodox,  and  each  of  them  ef- 
poufed  by  learned  and  powerful  partizans. 

Dr.  Sherlock  exprefsly  affertcd,  that  the  . 
three  perfons  in  the  Trinity  are  three  di- 
ftindt  infinite  Minds  or  Spirits,  and  three 
individual  Subftances.  Dr.  South  held 
only  one  infinite  eternal  Mind  or  Spirit, 
with  three  Somethings  that  were  not  three 
diftindt  Minds  or  Subftances,  but  three 
modes,  faculties,  attributes,  relations,  re- 
lative properties,    fubfiftencies,    as   they 

*  Life  of  Mr,  Firmin,  p.  8z. 

were 


[    63    ] 

were  varioufly  denominated.  Dr.  Sber^ 
lock  was  accufed,  and  with  great  juftice, 
if  words  have  any  meaning,  of  polytheifm, 
or  holding  three  Gcds,  Dr.  Sauth^  on  the 
other  hand,  came  under  the  imputation  of 
explaining  away  the  Trinity,  and  falling 
into  the  Sabellian,  or  Unitarian  fyftem : 
and  accordingly  fome  of  the  Socinians  took 
advantage  of  the  DocStor's  explication  of 
the  dodtrine  of  the  church,  and  declared 
in  their  writings,  that  they  fliould  not  be 
backward  to  give  their  approbation  to  the 
liturgy  and  articles,  if  that  was  the  kind 
of  Trinity  which  the  language  therein  ufed 
was  intended  to  inculcate. 

The  univcrfity  of  Oxford,  to  whom 
Sherlock  was  obnoxious  on  account  of  his 
political  principles,  declared  for  Dr.  South ; 
and  the  vice-chancellor  and  heads  of  col- 
leges and  halls,  affembled  November  25, 
1695,  paffed  this  cenfure  on  the  oppofitc 
dodlrine,  viz.  «*  That  the  affertion,  there 
are  three  infinite  diftind;  Minds  and  Sub- 
ftances  in  the  Trinity,  is  falfe,  impious, 
and  heretical,  contrary  to  the  dodlrine  of 
the  catholic  church,  and  particularly  to 
the  received  doftrine  of  the  church  of 
England." 


f  64 1 

But  this  cenfure  had  no  confequeneesi 
As  both  parties  made  no  fcruple  of  ufing 
the  domnion  language  of  the  church,  and 
hel4  three  Somewhats-^  they  were  never 
called  in  queftion,  or  their  orthodoxy  im- 
peached. Only,  the  quarrel  ran  fo  high 
from  the  pulpit,  that  the  ftate  thought 
proper  to  interpofe  its  authority  to  flop  it ; 
^nd  accordingly  an  injunction  came  forth 
from  his  Majefty  King  William,  bearing 
date  February  2,  1695,  with  diredions 
to  the  archbifiiops  and  bifhops  to  be  ob- 
ierved  in  their  refpeftive  diocefes.  The 
two  firft  of  thefe  were, 

1 .  That  no  preacher  whatfoever>  in  his 
fermon  or  ledure,  do  prefume  to  deliver 
any  other  doctrine  concerning  the  bleffed 
Trinity^  than  what  is  contained  in  the 
holy  fcripture,  [and  is  agreeable  to  the. 
three  creeds,  and  the  thirty-nine  articles.] 

2.  That,  in  the  explication  of  this  doc- 
trine, they  carefully  avoid  all  new  terms, 
[and  confine  themfelves  to  fuch  ways  of 
expreffion  as  have  been  commonly  ufed  in 
thq  church.] 

N.B,  If  the  words  hooked  in  aparenthe- 
fis  had  been  omitted,  there  would  have  been 
a  better  and  a  more  lafting  foundation  laid 
for  peace  and  truth,  Thefe 


[     65     1 

Thefe  difputes  among  divines,  their 
abufe  of  each  other,  and  the  flrange  dif- 
tindions  and  equivocation  to  which  they 
were  reduced  to  defend  themfelves,  and 
maintain  their  diredlly  contrary  opinions, 
^contributed  much  to  the  fpreading  of  the 
Unitarian  doctrine  *:  yet  it  is  to  be  feared, 
many  were  thereby  indifpofed  to  revealed 
religion  itfelf,  when  they  faw  that  its 
great  dodors  could  not  agree  about  the  ob- 
jedt  of  their  worfhip,  whether  One  Being, 
or  Many. 

Whoever  would  fee  to  what  extravagant 
pofitions,  fubverfive  of  all  religion  and  na- 
tural knowledge  of  God,  men  will  let 
themfelves  be  driven,  rather  than  give  up 
an  hypothefis  once  efpoufed,  needeth  only 

*  "  I  own  I  have  been  unfettled  in  my  notions  from 
the  time  I  read  Dr.  Sherlock's  book  of  the  Trinity, 
which  fufficiently  difcovered  how  far  many  were  gone 
back  towards  polytheifm :  I  long  tried  what  I  could 
do  with  fome  Sabellian  turns,  making  out  a  Trinity  of 
fomewhats  in  one  fmgle  mind.  I  found  that,  by  the 
tritheiftical  fcheme  of  Dr.  Sherlock  and  Mr.  Howe,  T 
befl:  preferyed  a  Trinity,  but  I  loft  the  Unity  :  By  the 
Sabellian  fcheme  of  modes,  fubiiftencies,  and  proper- 
ties, &c.  I  beft  kept  up  the  divine  Unity  ;  but  then  I 
had  loft  a  Trinity,  fuch  as  the  fcriptures  difcover  j  fo 
that  I  could  not  keep  both  in  view  at  once."  Emlyns 
tvodsy  vol.  i,  p.  15. 

F  19 


f     66     3 

to  read  <'  Dr,  Clarke's  Obfervaiions  tn  Dr 
Water  land's  fecond  defence  of  bis  ^eries 
which,  I  belie vp,  clofed  the  controverfy  at 
that  time,  and  ought  to  have  clofed  it  for 
ever  *. 

The  Unitarian  Chriftians  were  much 
affedted  by  a  (hocking  ad  of  the  ftate, 
which  was  fuffered  to  pafs  in  thefe  early 
days  of  the  revolution,  and  which  will 
remain  an  indelible  reproach  to  it. 

For,  *^  by  9  and  10  W.  3.  ch.  32.  If 
any  perfon  educated  in,  or  having  made 
profeffion  of  the  Chriftian  religion,  (hall 
be  convidled  in  any  of  the  courts  of  Weft- 
minfter,  or  at  the  affizes,  of  denying  any 
cne  6f  the  perfom  of  the  Holy  Trinity  to  be 
God,  bcQ,  he  (hall  for  the  firfi  offence,  be 
judged  incapable  of  any  office  -,  and  for  the 
fecond  offence,  (hall  be  difabled  to  fue  any 
adlion,  or  to  be  guardian,  executor,  or  ad- 
miniftrator,  orto  take  any  legacy  or  deed  of 
gift,  or  to  bear  any  office,  civil  or  military, 
or  benefice  ecclefiailical  for  ever,  and  alfo 
fliall  fuffer  imprifonment  for  three  years,** 

If  we  refledt  on  that  high  eflimation,  la 
which  the  celebrated  Dr.  Clarke  and  his  writ- 
ings were  held  foon  after  this  time,  by  many 

*  See  alfo  Emlyn^  vol.  ii.  p.  451. 


[    (>!    \ 
in  high  place,  and  in  all  places;  and  aho 
how  great  a  number  have  efpoufed  his  fenti* 
mcnt,  or  that  of  the  Socinians,  concerning 
our  Saviour  Chrift,  we  (hall  not  be  able  to 
think  of  the  exiftence  of  fuch  a  law  as  this 
without  horror.     But  that  benevolence  of 
the  prefent  times,  which  forbids  the  ex- 
cxecution,  ihould  haften  the  repeal  of  it. 
It  would  carry  us  too  far  beyond  our 
purpofe,  or  here  would  be  the  place,  in 
the  beginning  of  the  prefent  century,  to 
treat  of  Mr.  Thomas  Emiyn,  an  Englith- 
man,  minifter  of  a  congregation  of  pro- 
teftant  diffenters  in  Dublin ;  who  **  fo  no- 
«*  bly  fufFered  unto  bonds  and  imprifon- 
'*  ment,    and   great    worldly   loffes,    for 
**  maintaining   the   fupreme    unequalled 
**.  majefty  of  the  One  God  and  Father  of 
**  all,  under  a  moft  unrighteous  perfecu- 
"  tion  againft  him,"  carried  on  by  his  own 
people,  diffenters,  and  abetted   by  fome 
great  churchmen  in  Ireland. 

His  works  will  be  a  lading  monument 
of  his  genius,  learning,  piety,  and  integri- 
ty ;  written  in  a  clear  animated  ftile,  equal- 
led by  few,  exceeded  by  none,  in  our  lan- 
guage, and  with  (uch  invincible. force  of 
argument,  as  ftill  to  promote  tUt  truth 
F  2  for 


[    68    1 

for  which  he  was  not  unwilling  to  fufFer. 

The  perfecution  of  the  learned  Mr. 
"James  Fierce  of  Exeter^  eminent  alfo  for 
his  writings,  and  fufferings  in  the  fame 
caufe,  amongft  the  diflenters ;  and,  of 
another  learned  and  excellent  perfon,  Mr. 
Tomkins  of  NewingtoHy  muft  on  the  fame 
account  be  paffed  over  unnoticed. 

The  famous  Mr.  WiUiain  Whijion  end- 
ed his  courfe  only  about  twenty  years  ago, 
and  his  ftory  is  fo  well  known,  that  little 
needeth  to  be  faid  of  the  perfecution  he 
underwent,  and  his  moft  unjuft  expulfion 
from  his  profefforfliip  in  Cambridge  in  the 
year  1710,  for  maintaining,  that  the  only 
God  of  the  Chrijiians  is  God  the  Father. . 
But  his  undiffembled  piety  from  his  youth 
to  extreme  old  age,  his  integrity,  and 
chearfulnefs  under  the  lofs  of  his  prefer- 
ments, his  conftancy  and  courage,  can 
never  be  enough  celebrated  and  admired. 

Thofe  arguments  of  holy  fcripture,  by 
which  he  proved  his  grand  point,  have 
never  been  confuted.  But  fome  of  the 
good  effedsof  his  labours  were  obftrufted 
by  an  unlucky  infatuation  with  which  he 
was  poffefTed  for  fome  ancient  writings, 
particularly    the  Apojlolical  Conftitutions  y 

which 


[    69     J 

which  he  maintained  to  be  the  mofl:  fa* 
cred  of  the  canonical  books  of  the  New 
Teftament,  although  it  muft  appear  to  all 
unprejudiced  perfons  to  have  been  written 
in  the  fourth  century,  but  probably  then 
compiled  out  of  fome  earlier  compofitiona 
of  the  firft  and  fecond.     Struck  with  ad- 
'  miration  of  the  book  at  firft,   as  fo  much 
favouring  his  Arian  fentiments,  he  thought 
it  quite  divine;  and  being  of  a  warm  ima- 
gination and  fanguine  temper,  when  once 
in  fuch  an  error  he  could  hardly  get  out  of 
it.     A  fmall  fpeck  this,  in  fo  bright  a 
charadler. 

The  infcription  on  his  tomb-ftone,  at 
Lyndon  in  the  county  of  Rutland,  has 
done  jufticc  to  his  memory.  It  is  not 
printed  along  with  any  of  his  works  that  I 
h^ve  feen,  and  therefore  may  not  unufe- 
fully  or  improperly  here  find  a  place. 
'.  **  Here  lyeth  the  body  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
William  Whijlon,  M,  A,  fome  time  pro- 
feffor  of  the  mathematics  in  the  univerfity 
of  Cambridge ;  who  was  born  Dec.  9, 
1667,  and  died  Aug.  22,  1752,  in  the 
85th  year  of  his  age.  Endued  with  an 
excellent  gcnius,^  indefatigable  in  labour 
gnd  ftudy,  he  became  learned  in  divinity^ 
F  3  ^     ancient 


[    7^    ] 

ancient  hiftory,  chronology,  philofophy, 
and  mathematics.  Fertile  in  fentimcnt, 
copious  in  language,  fkilful  to  convey  in- 
ftrudion,  he  introduced  the  Newtoniai^ 
philofophy,  then  buried  in  the  deepeft 
receffes  of  geometry,  into  public  know- 
ledge, and  thereby  difplayed  the  wonder- 
ful works  of  God  :  More  defirous  to  dif- 
cover  his  luUly  he  applied  himfelf  chiejfliy 
to  the  examination  and  lludy  of  the  holy 
fcriptares  :  Refolvcd  to  pradife  it,  he  fa- 
Crificed  great  v^^orldly  advantages  andgreat- 
cr  expedations,  that  he  might  preferve 
the  teflimony  of  a  good  confciencc.  Firm- 
ly perfuaded  of  the  truth  and  importance 
of  revealed  religion,  he  exerted  his  utmoft 
ability,  to  enforce  the  evidence,  to  ex- 
plain the  do(5trines,  and  promote  the  prac- 
tiee  of  Chriftianity :  worfliiping  God 
with  the  moft  profound  fubmiffion  and 
adoration,  the  fupreme  majefty  of  the  One 
God  and  Father  of  all,  through  the  inter- 
ccffion  and  mediation  of  our  Lord  Jefus 
Chrift,  by  the  grace  and  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit ;  and  teftifying  the  fmcerity 
cf  his  profeffion  by  the  due  obedience  of  ^ 
holy  life.  Stridly  tenacious  of  his  inte- 
grity, equally  fervent  in  piety  and  charity, 
'  ardfnt 


[    71     ] 

ardent  to  promote  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  good  of  mankind,  zealous  in  the  pur- 
fuit  of  truth  and  the  praftice  of  virtue,  he 
perfevered  with  faith  and  patience,  fted- 
faft  and  immoveable,  always  abounding 
in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  through  many 
trials  and  much  tribulation,  to  the  end 
*of  his  courfe,  full  of  days,  and  ripe  for 
Paradife,  in  a  firm  affurance  of  a  joyful 
refurrecSion  to  everlafting  life  and  happi- 
nefs.  NoWy  reader y  whoe'er  thou  arty  if 
thou  canji  not  attain  to  the  meajure  of  his 
learning  and  knowledge y  yet  it  is  in  thy 
power  to  equal  him  in  piety y  probity y  holi^ 
nefsy  and  other  Chrijiian  graces  \  and  thou 
mcyejl  hereby  obtain y  together  with  him, 
thro*  the  mercies  of  Gody  and  merits  of 
ChriHy  an  everlafting  crown  of  glory'' 

.Few  men  in  any  age  have  by  their  wri- 
tings caft  more  light  on  the  dark  parts  of 
the  word  of  God,  or  tpore  laboured  to  re* 
ftore  his  true  wor(hip,  than  Dr.  Samuel 
Clarkcy  reftor  of  St.  James's,  Weflmin- 
fter.  Skilful  in  mathematics  and  natural 
philofophy,  a  moft  exadt  critic  in  the 
learned  languages  and  in  the  Hebrew,  and^ 
furnifhed  with  all  other  knowledge  that 
plight  affift  in  the  great  defign,  he  made 
F4  i( 


[    72    3 

it  the  whole  bent  of  his  ftudies  to  illiiftrate 
the  fcriptures  and  teach  men  virtue  and 
true  religion.  His  moft  admired  work, 
the  Scripture  Da5lrine  of  the  Trinity ^  hath 
put  it  in  the  power  of  all  fincere  enquirers, 
even  of  the  meaneft  capacities,  to  judge 
for  themfelves  on  a  point  of  the  greateft 
importance ;  namely,  what,  and  who  is 
the  God  they  are  to  worfhip  ;  <*  whether 
three  perfons,  of  one  fubftance,  power, 
and  eternity,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the 
fioly  Ghofi:  j  or  one  perfon^  the  Father 
only  be  the  One  Jiving  and  true  God, 
everlafting,  without  body,  parts,  or  paf- 
fions  ;  of  infinite  power,  wifdom  and 
goodnefs,  the  maker  and  preferver  of  all 
things,  both  vifible  and  invifible/* — ^r- 
tick  I, 

And  from  the  moft  exadl,  clear,  and 
impartial  examination  of  all  the  texts  of 
the  New  Teftament  relating  to  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Trinity,  he  hath  irrefragably 
demonftrated  the  great  Unitarian  dodrinc 
of  nature  and  revelation,  that  there  is  but 
One  God,  the  Father^  to  whom  alone  ab^ 
fJutcly  Jupreme  honour  is  duCy  and  to  whom 
divii^e  worjhip  and  prayer  is  to  be  offered. 

The 


[73l 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Jones,  in  his  Catholic 
Do5irine  of  the  Trinity^  hath  availed  him- 
icM  of  this  method  of  our  great  author, 
and  endeavoured  thereby  to  make  out  the 
quite  contrary  dodlrine.  That  gentle- 
man's intrvduBory  difcoiirfe,  compared  with 
Dr.  Clarke'^  introdiiBmiy  will  fliew  the 
temper  of  each,  and  the  methods  they 
purfue.  Thofe  that  compare  the  different 
interpretations  given  of  the  fame  texts, 
will  obferve  that  Dr.  Clarke  gives  the 
fenfe  the  context  requires ;  Mr.  Jones, 
any  fenfe  the  words  will  bear  that  may 
fuit  his  fyftem,  in  which  way  the  Koran 
of  Mahomet  might  be  proved  to  be  a  moft 
orthodox  book,  and  any  thing  made  out 
of  any  thing.    Thus  his  firjt  proof  ^  of  the 

Trinity 

*  "  Sciens  ac  volens  fuperfedeo  a  multls  teftimonlis 
quibus  ufi  funt  veteres.  PlaufibiJe  illis  vifum  eft  ci- 
tare  ex  Davide  xxxiii.  6,  verbo  Domini  coeli  firraati 
funt,  et  fpiritu  oris  ejus  omnis  virtus  eorum  ;  ut  pro- 
barent  non  minus  Spiritus  Sandi  opus  efle  mundum 
<|uam  Filii.  Sed  quum  in  Pfalmis  ufitatum  fit  bis 
idem  repetere,  et  quum  apud  Jefaiam  fpiritus  oris  idem 
valeat"(xi.  4.)  atque  fermo,  infirma  ilia  ratio  fuit." 

Calvin.  Injlit.  1.  i.  p,  22. 

Calvin  was  by  fome  accufed  of  Judaizing  and  Ari- 
ani^Ling,  becaufe  he  gave  up  this  paflage,  and  Pfaim  ii. 

7.  Genefis 


[    74    ] 

Trinity  in  Unity  is  that  text,  Pfalm  xxxiii. 
6.*—"  By  the  word  of  the  Lord  were  the 
heavens  made,  and  all  the  hoft  of  them 
by  the  breath  of  his  mouth."  Whence 
be  in  his  way  infers — '*  The  whole  Trinity 
therefore  created  the  world."  And  he 
proves  this  Trinity  to  be  but  One  Lord,  in 
the  fame  curious  way,  from  Ifaiah  xliv.i 
2J^.'!r-'Jones*s  Catholic  Do5lrine,  p.  69. 

Coi«:lufions  to  The  religion  of  Chrift,  or 
the  foregoing  the  wiU  of  God  by  him  deli- 
^lilory.  yered  to  men,  was  eafy  to  be 

underftood  by  thofc  to  whom  he  and  his 
apoftles  firft  preached  it.  This  his  reli- 
gion was  afterwards  put  down  in  writing 
by  his  apoftles  and  difciples.  And  this 
faith  once  delivered  to  the  faints  (Jude  3.) 
is  to  be  carefully  preferved  by  us.  It 
would  be  impious  to  take  upon  vis  to  add 

7.  Genefis  xix.  24.  John  x.  30.  Hebrews  i.  5.  i  John 
v^  7.  and  would  not  allow  them  txs  fufficient  proofs  re- 
fpedtively,  of  the  Trinity,  01;  ^he  divinity  of  t^e  Son j^ 
and  Holy  Spirit.  He  did  not  deferve  the  afperflons  of 
fome  of  his  warm  adverfaries,  but  his  good  fenfe  led 
hrm  to  fee,  that  thefe  texts  would  rather  weakei>  thaa 
fupport  the  do6lrine  of  the  Trinity.  On  the  laft  text, 
I  John  V.  7,  his  remark  is,  "  Quod  dicit  tres  efle 
unum,  ad  ^flentiam  non  refertur,  fed  ad  confenfum, 
potius." 

to 


I  73  ] 
to  or  diminifli  aught  from  it.  This  how- 
ever has  been  done  by  many,  though  oft, 
1  believe,  without  dcfign  and  without 
knowing  it.  It  was  by  infenfible  degrees, 
and  the  work  of  many  ages ;  by  enlarging 
creeds  one  after  another,  and  after  all  by 
the  laborious  fophiftry  of  monkifli  fchool- 
men,  that  the  prefent  complicate  fyflem 
of  an  orthodox  belief  was  framed.  And 
it  muft  be  by  the  fame  flow  fteps  and  la- 
bour, that  we  can  expedt  to  clear  away 
and  remove  this  rubbifli  of  ages,  which 
has  disfigured,  and  nearly  fmothered  the 
fair  fabric  of  the  word  of  God. 

Thefe  our  honourable  predeceffors,  with 
others  before  them,  who,  with  great  la* 
bour,  and  hazard,  and  lofs,  have  flood 
up  to  oppofe  the  corruptions  of  God's  true 
worfhip,  are  to  be  followed  and  imitated 
by  us.  And,  as  they  have  made  the  way 
pf  truth  more  eafy  and  acceflible  to  us,\ 
we  (hall  be  without  excufe,  if  we  do  not 
endeavour  to  fecure  and  improve  the  dif* 
coveries  they  have  made,  and  the  advan- 
tages they  have  gained  for  us,  and  to  hand 
down 'the  lamp  of  God  to  light  thofe  that 
come  after  us«. 

Pipus 


[     52      ] 

Pious  pcrfons  may  be  (hocked  at  iirft 
in  furveying  the  great  corruptions  which 
have  all  along  prevailed,  and  ftill  pre- 
vail in  the  Chriftian  church.  Befides 
thofe  errors  which  we  fee  and  lament  at 
home  amongft  ourfelves,  how  deformed 
the  daemon  worfliip,  the  worfhip  of  dead 
men  and  women  deified,  and  together 
with  it  the  pitiful  idolatry  of  a  breaden 
God^y  v/hich  has  fubfifted  for  many  ages, 

and 

*  "  It  is  affirmed  by  the  church  of  Rome,  that  their 
God  being  eaten,  may  by  the  fqueamifh  ftomach  be 
caft  up  again;  witnefs  that  canon,  ftfacerdos  euchar'tf- 
iiam,  &c.  which  doth  exhort  the  prtefi  when  he  doth 
vom'tt  up  the  facrament  to  wipe  ity  and  try  once  more  to 
eat  it.  They  alfo  intimate  that  the  communicant  may 
%it  Hi?n  out  upon  the  ground,  witnefs  the  caution  in 
their  ritual^  that  after  the  reception  of  the  eucharij}^ 
they  do  not  for  a  [eafpn  fpit^  ne  facramenti  fpecies  de 
pre  decidant,  leji  the  fpecies  of  the  facrament  Jhould  fall 
from  their  mouth.  And  laftly,  to  compleat  their  blaC 
jjhe'my,  they  do  acknowledge  that,  in  difeafes  which 
take  away  digeftion,  their  God  comes  whole  out  of  the 
draught ;  fo  it  hath  happened^  faith  Paludanus ;  fo  it 
mufl  happen  in  this  cafe^  faith  Soto,  for  fhame  fhould 
not  conftrain  us  to  deny  the  truth.  Now  to  be  fpit 
out  of  the  mouth,  or  caft  out  of  the  ftomach,  or  to  be 
cje£led  at  the  draught,  are  the  peculiar  excellencies  of 
this  772^/;- Go^,  which  all  the  follies  of  the  heathen  can- 
not parallel.*'— /F/:?/^.  Irrifio  Dei  panarii  Romanen- 
ftumy.ihe   derifion  of   the   hreaden  God    worfljipped   in 

the 


i  77  y 

and  ftill  fubfifts  in  the  church  of  Rome  i 
that  is,  a  large  part  of  Chriftendom  ? 

But  we  fliould  confider,  that  although 
God  is  perfedl,  and  all  that  comes  from 
him  is  originally  fo  :  yet  man  is  a  creature 
full  of  prejudice,  which  he  takes  in  with 
his  nurfe's  milk,  and  overwhelmed  with 
various  errors ;  and  that,  as  there  is  fcarce 
any  evidence  fo  clear  which  paflion  and 
corrupt  intereft  will  not  incline  him  to  fet 
afide,  there  is  no  dodtrine  fo  plainly  laid 
down,  which  early  prepoffefljon  and  wrong 
habits  will  not  darken  and  perplex.  Un- 
lefs  then  Almighty  God  had  new  mould- 
ed the  race  of  men,  when  he  gave  them 
a  revelation  of  his  will,  the  pure  dodrine 
of  the  gofpel  would  unavoidably  take  a 
tindture  from  the  manners,  difpofitions, 
and  habits  of  thofe  who  received  it,  as 
water  fron^  the  beds  of  minerals  through 
which  it  pafles.  The  truth  of  God  there- 
fore was  neceffarily  left  to  take  its  chance 

the  Romljh  churchy  p.  74,  75.  This  fine  tra6l  of  this 
learned,  man  and  true  Proteftant,  deferves  to  be  adopt- 
ed by  our  religious  focieties  in  the  lift  of  their  books  to 
bedifperfed,  and  would  help  to  preferve  our  own  people 
Proteftants,  and  convert  the  Papifts  themfclves  from 
their  more  than  pagan  idolatry,  much  better  than  graver 
^ooks, 

ia 


r  78  } 

ill  the  wosld,  if  we  may  fo  fpeak,  and  to 
be  more  or  lefs  corrupted  in  different 
times  and  places  j  yet  not  without  his  own 
watchful  overfight  in  the  mean  while,  and 
the  fulleft  affurances  and  predictions,  for 
the  encouragement  of  his  true  worfljip- 
ers,  "  that  truth  and  virtue  would  hnMf 
prevail  over  the  fpirit  of  error  and  wicked- 
nefs."  We  are  not  judges  how  far  God 
intended  his  difpenfationk  of  light  and 
knowledge,  and  moral  improvement,  to 
take  effedt  at  any  given  time:  but  un- 
doubtedly they  are  made  to  attain  the  end 
he  propofed,  though  not  all  that  our  pre- 
cipitate judgments  would  lead  us  to 
expedt. 

What  Mr.  Whifton  remarks  concern- 
ing  Bifljop  Smallridge,  may,  I  apprehend, 
influence  feme  worthy  men  like  him,  to 
fit  down  contented  with  eflabliflied  forms 
of  religious  worfliip  which  they  are  far 
from  approving  ^  namely,  "  the  dread  of 
**  the  ill  confequences  of  difcovering  fo 
<«  great  and  lading  errors  in  the  church, 
**  with  a  fufpicion  of  the  harm  politicians 
"  and  unbelievers  would  turn  fuch  dif- 
"  covcries  to,    inftcad    of   uniting  with 

ff  good 


[    79    3 

*<  good  men  to  corredt  the  errors  them- 
*<  felves*." 

Politicians  and  unbelievers  cannot  cer- 
tainly be  €::p€(3:ed  to  turn  reformers.  But 
with  regard  to  the  difcoveries  which  Bp. 
Smallridgc  was  afraid  of  making  and  hav- 
ing divulged,  relating,  I  fuppofe  to  the 
Athanafian  and  fcholaftic  Trinity,  which 
has  been  held  in  veneration  and  worfhiped 
thefe  fourteen  centuries  paft,  whatever  was 
the  cafe  in  his  time,  its  little  agreement 
with  the  fcriptures  or  early  fathers  has  been 
long  no  fecret  to  the  Morgans,  the  St. 
Jobns^  the  Vdtaires,  &c.  nor  have  they 
made  any  fecret  of  it;  but  have  thence  tak- 
en a  handle  to  accufe  feme  of  our  great  and 
learned  churchmen  of  fhutting  their  eyes 
for  political  ends,  or  elfe  believing  as  little 
of  the  revealed  fyftem  as  themfelves. 

We  may  affure  ourfelves,  that  no  dif- 
covery  of  error,  no  fair  reprefentation  of 
fadts  can  hurt  true  religion,  tho'  it  may 
fhakc  the  empire  of  prieflcraft  and  fuper- 
ftition.  We  ought  rather  to  be  the  more 
excited  to  fcarch  and  enquire,  and  bear 
our  public  but  peaceable  teflimony  to  op* 

♦  Whifton^s  life  of  Dr.  S,  Clarke,  p.  97. 

prefflbd 


prefled  truth,    becaufe  for  want  of   (hif 
having  been  done  in  time,  things  are  comef^ 
to  the  pafs  which  we  now  complain  of, 
and   with  which  the  adverfaries  of  our  ^ 
common  faith  reproach  us. 

But  thofe  men  will  fall  under  heavy 
condemnation,  who  perfifc  in  abetting 
known  corruptions,  out  of  mean  lucrative 
views,  and  the  flattery  of  princes  and  great 
men,  and  inftead  of  lending  a  helping 
hand  to  the  work,  calumniate  and  difcou- 
rage  thofe  who  feek  to  remove  thefe  ftum- 
bling- blocks  to  truth  and  integrity.  M 

This  looks  peculiarly  ill  in  men  famous       f 
for  learning  and  abilities,  teachers  of  hu-       i^ 
manity,    virtue,    and    religion,    who  are       % 
placed  on  an  eminence,  and  draw  others       T" 
after  them.     *<  Wo  unto  the  world,  be- 
caufe of  offences :  for  it  muft  needs  be . 
that  offences  come :  but  wo  to  that  man 
by  whom  the  ofience  cometh." — Matthew 
xviii.  7. 

In  the  mean  time,  mafiy  arepurifiedi  and 
made  white 9  and  tried y  Daniel  xii.  10,  and 
the  thought 5  of  many  hearts  are  revealed y 
Luke  ii.  35  ^  the  true  charafters  of  men 
are  drawn  out  and  brought  to  light,  and 

many 


[    8i     ] 

many  known  and  unknown  purpofes  of 
the  divine  government  are  anfwered  and 
ferved  for  the  produdtion  of  virtue,  and 
man's  real  felicity  and  perfedlion.  Hap- 
py, where  no  undue  motive  influences,  no 
blameable  paflion,  or  difguft  at  human 
things  and  the  courfe  of  the  world ;  no- 
thing but  the  pure  love  of  truth,  and 
fenfe  of  duty  to  the  great  fearcher  of 
hearts,  which  can  be  known  to  him  alone. 


CHAP. 


[       82       ] 


CHAPTER    III. 


THfiRE'  IS  BUT  ONE  GOD,  THE  FATHER*.  RELI* 
'  GIOUS  WORSHIP  TO  BE  OFFERED  TO  THIS  ONE 
.  GOD,    THE  FATHER,    ONL^. 

'  I  *  HAT  God  is  One,  and  confequently, 
the  object  of  worfhip  One  onljy  is  of 
firft  importance  in  religion.  The  wretch- 
ed ftite  of  morals  in  the  heathen  world 
flowed  from  their  polytheifm.  And  not 
one  can  remain  many  hours  in  a  popifli 
country  without  feeing  the  pernicious  ef- 
fect of  their  idolatrous  worfhip  *,  in  their 
flreets  and  on  the  high  roads.  Nor  can 
we  Proteftants  be  cleared  from  fome  fatal 
miftakes  here,  the  fource  of  great  unhap- 
pinefs  and  diftradlion  in  the  breafts  of  ma- 
ny, and  of  much  wrong  pradice.  For  it 
is  obvious,  from  the  converfation  and  wri- 
tings of  many  amongft  us,  that  they  are 
ftr  gone  into  the  doctrine  of  Three  equal 
Godsy  whom  they  figure  and  reprefent  to 
themfelves  under  different  and  very  oppo- 
fUe  charafters.  Hence  they  conceive  of 
God  the  Father,  always  with  dread,  as  a 

*  Erafmus,  in  his  colloquies,  has  finely  ridiculed 
this  depraved  fuperftition  of  the  Fapifts,  See  particu- 
krly  his  Naufragium, 

I  being 


[     83     ] 

be  ng  of  feverc  unrelenting  juftice*,  re- 
vengeful, and   inexorable  without  full  fa- 

tisfadion 

*  ^'  Is  there  no  fhelter  from  the  eye 
Of  a  revenging  God? 
Jefus^  to  thy  dear  wounds  I  fly. 
Bedew  me  with  thy  blood. 
Thofe  guardian  drops  my  foul  fecure. 

And  wafh  away  my  fm  3 
Eternal  Jujiice  frowns  no  rnore^ 

And  confcience  fmiles  within." 

JVatts's  lyric  poems,  p.  84. 
*'  Rich  were  the  drops  o/yefus'  bloody 

That  cairn  d  his  frowning  face y 
Thatfprinkrd  o'er  the  burning  throne^ 
And  turned  the  wrath  to  grace,^ 

Watts' s  hymnsy  p.  229. 
This  pious  and  excellent  perfon  lived  to  fee  his  er- 
ror and  changed  his  fentiments  intirely  on  this  point, 
before  he  died.  Towards  the  clofe  of  his  days,  but 
before  his  faculties  were  impaired,  by  a  long,  ferious, 
difpaflionate  attention  to  the  facred  writings,  he  was 
brought  to  that  fentiment  concerning  the  perfon  and 
character  of  Chrift,  which  feems  to  have  beeft  that  of 
his  apoftles  and  firft  followers,  before  philofophy  had 
corrupted  theifaith.  For  this  he  was  rudely  attacked 
from  the  prefs  after  his  death,  by  a  famous  champion 
of  orthodoxy  of  the  times,  but  did  nocwant  defend- 
ers of  his  fair  unfpotted  name.  "  The  charader  of 
the  gentle,  the  ingenious,  the  pious  Dr.  Watts,  (fays 
one  of  them)  muft  be  facrificed  by  the  fury  of  two  or 
three  fermons  that  are  filled  with  aquafortis.  And 
why  ?  truly,  becaufe  the  Dodor  had  once  believed  a 
G  2  Trinity 


[   H   ] 

tisfadlion  made  to  him  for  the  breach  of 
his  laws.  God  the  Son,  on  the  other 
hand,  is  looked  upon  as  made  up  of  all 
compaffion  and  goodnefs,  interpofing  to 
fave  men  from  the  Father's  wrath,  and 
fubjeding  himfelf  to  the  extremeft  fuffer- 
ings  on  that  account.  And  God  the  Holy 
Ghoft  is  defcribed  in  charadlers  of  the  ut- 
moft  love  and  kindnefs,  ever  waiting,  and 
ever  ready  to  beftow  his  gracious  commu- 
nications and  affiftances  for  the  falvation 
of  men. 

But  how  contrary   is   this  language  to 
the  holy  fcriptures,  and  how  injurious  to 

Trinity  in  Unity.  Afterwards  his  judgment  altered, 
and  he  publifhed  two  traits,  in  which  he  feems  to  fa- 
vour the  SabeUian  or  Socinian  hypothelis.  So  far  from 
being  a  reproach  to  Dr.  Watts^  that  he  changed  his 
fentiments,  it  will  be  looked  upon  by  all  fober,  judi- 
cious, confiftent  proteftants,  as  reflecting  much  glory- 
upon  his  character;  tho'  Mr.  Bradbury  happens  to 
think  it  a  mark  of  his  own  iledfaftnefs,  that  he  receded 
not  from  his  education-principles.  Notwithftanding 
this,  he  fhould  allow  it  natural  for  men  to  have  more 
light  open  upon  them,  who  are  not  afraid  of  free  in- 
quiry j  whilft  the  ftedfaftnefs  of  others  may  be  owing 
to  the  inveteracy  of  their  prejudices,  that  will  not  fuf- 

fcr  them  to  make  any  farther  difcoveries." Extra£i 

from  a  pamphlet,  intitled,  ''  The  character  of  the  Rev, 
T.  Bradbury,  taken  from  his  own  pen  in  his  difcourfes  on 
baptijmy  printed  for  Cooper,   1749. 

the 


[     85     ] 

the  God  of  all  grace,  (i  Pet.  v.  lo.)  the 
heavenly  Father  and  God  over  all,  whom 
we  are  there  taught  alone  to  look  up  unto 
in  prayer,  to  expedt  all  from  him,  to  refer 
all  to  him,  who  (John  iii.  i6,)/o  loved  the 
world,  that  he  gave  his  only » begot  ten  Son  to 
fave  men  from  perijloing  for  ever;  and  who 
(Luke  xi.  13.)  giveth  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
them  that  afk  him. 

It  was  in  much  mercy,  that  this  gra- 
cious parent  of  mankind,  when  he  firft 
made  man,  did  not  leave  him  to  the  flow 
procefs  of  reafon  to  find  out  his  Maker  and 
bcnefa(ffcor,  whom  it  was  his  chief  happi- 
nefs  to  know  and  to  adore.  For  although 
fpeculative  enquiring  minds  may,  in  a 
courfe  of  time,  arrive  at  the  difcovery  and 
knowledge  of  a  firft  great  caufe  and  bene- 
volent author  of  all  things ;  yet,  as  few 
have  leifure,  or  are  born  to  be  philofo- 
phers,  fonle  more  fimple  and  ftriking  evi- 
dence of  the  being  and  providence  of  God 
was  to  be  defired.  He  therefore  gave  our 
firftparents  a  fenfible  and  immediate  know- 
ledget)fhimfelf,his  will,  their  duty  and  hap- 
pinefs.  This  could  not  fail  of  being  hand- 
ed down  in  fome  degree  to  their  pofterity. 
G  3  And 


[     86     ] 

And  we  find  it  acftually  was  fo.  For  the  beft 
heathen  authors  profefs  to  build  much  of 
their  knowledge  of  God  on  tradition,  to 
which  our  modern  philofophers  owe  more 
than  they  will  confefsj  and  in  the  multi- 
plicity of  falfe  objedts  of  worftiip  into  which 
mankind  have  been  led,  the  perfuafion  of 
One  Supreme  over  all  has  ftill  fecretly  and 
univerfally  prevailed. 

In  the  Bibky  which  contains  an  authen- 
tic account  of  the  divine  interpofitions, 
and  communications  to  men,  one  would 
naturally  exped:  the  great  point,  whether 
there  be  One  God  or  more,  to  be  fettled  fo 
as  to  leave  no  room  for  doubt  or  uncer- 
tainty. And  indeed,  an  unprejudiced 
p^rfon,  of  ordinary  underflanding,  that 
took  that  book  in  his  hand,  would  never 
apprehend  that  it  was  defigned  to  teach 
him  to  philofophize  and  make  nice  dif- 
tindtions  about  fome  unknown  ejjence  or  fub" 
fiance  of  God^  and  three  perjons  in  that  ef^ 
fence,  equally  Gody  and  equally  to  he  wor- 
jhippedy  and  yet  all  three  but  one  God.  He 
would  fee  that  there  was  but  One  God 
without  any  fuch  perplexity  and  refine- 

menta 


[  87] 
ment,  as  clearly  as  he  would  fee  that  he 
exifted  at  all. 

Accordingly  *  the  Hebrews,  who  were 
the  depofitaries  of  thefe  divine  revelations, 
and  above  all  other  people  favoured  with 
them,  never  had  any  different  doctrine,  or 
difputes  on  fo  clear  a  point.  They  never 
dreamed  of  a  plurality  in  the  deity y  as  we 
Chriftians  have  affefted  to  fpeak,  altho* 
fome  have  fathered  it  upon  them,  and 
have  pretended  to  gather  it  from  the  plu- 
ral termination  of  a  Hebrew  word  Elohim, 
indifferently  applied  to  God  and  man,  and 

*  The  following  declaration  of  BIfhop  Beveridge 
will  carry  weight  along  with  it,  efpecially  as  he  him- 
.felf  thinks  he  can  fee  the  my  fiery  of  the  T'rini'iy  in  the 
Old  Teftamcnt,  tho'  he  owns  the  Jews  have,  nev^r 
been  able  to  fee  it.  "  The  great  myfien  of  the  Trinity^ 
faith  he,  though  it  be  frequently  intimated  in  the  Old 
Teftament,  yet  it  is  an  hanl  matter  rightly  to  under- 
Hand  it  without  the  New  :  infomuch,  that  the  Jews, 
though  they  have  had  the  law  above  three  thoufand, 
and  the  prophets  above  two  thoufand  years  among 
them,  yet  to  this  day  they  could  never  make  this  an  ar- 
ticle of  faith  ;  but  they,  as  well  as  the. Mahometans, 
ftill  afiert,  that  God  is  only  One  in  per/on  as  well  as  in 
nature.-^PrivateThou^hts,  partii.  p.  36,  37. 

^G  4  ffom 


[    88    ] 

from  the  Chaldee  Targums  *,  or  para- 
phrafes  of  the  Old  Teftament,  which  yet 
do  countenance  no  fuch  doctrine. 

The 

*  Chaldee  Targums,']  Dr.  AlHx,  in  his  Judgment  of 
the  ancient  Jewijh  church,  labours  much  to  make  this 
ancient  Jewlfli  church  Trinitarian,  But  all  the  Jews 
of  later  times  cry  out  againft  fuch  an  imputation  upo^ 
them  and  their  anceftors,  and  unqyeftionably  the 
Trinity  is  one  of  thofe  do6lrines  that  prejudice  them 
moft  againft  Chriftianity.  I  make  no  doubt  but 
this  grofs  error  and  rnifapprehenfion  has  arifen  from 
Chriftians,  like  pr.  Allix,  going  to  the  reading  of 
the  Chaldee  and  Hebrew  writings,  full  of  their  own 
Trinitarian  ideas,  and  fixing  them  upon  words  which 
the  writers  never  intended  to  convey  any  thing  of  the 
kind.  Our  Prideaux,  and  Louis  Capellus,  have  fo 
well  explained  this  matter,  and  fet  afide  thefe  fancies* 
that  the  reader  will  thank  me  for  producing  them  : 
**'  With  much  better  reafon  (fays  the  former)  does  the 
^'  fame  Frenchman  (father  Simon)  difapprove  of  the 
*'  ufe  of  the  Targums  for  the  proof  of  the  Aayoq^  or 
"  Ward,  in  that  fenfe-in  which  we  find  it  exprefled  in 
**  the  firft  chapter  of  the  gofpel  of  St.  John.  For 
**  through  all  thofe  Targums,  in  a  great  number  of 
*'  places  where  mention  is  made  of  God  in  the  original 
'*'  Hebrew,  it  being  rendered  the  word  of  God  in  the 
**  Chaldee  interpretation,  hence  the  Q\iMet  Mimray 
*'  which  in  that  phrafe  fignifieth  the  Word,  hath  been 
"  thought  to  correfpond  with  the  Greek  Acyo?  in  that 
*'  gofpel,  and  both  exadly  to  denote  the  fame  thing. 
*'  And  therefore  feveral  learned  men  have  endeavoured 
♦'  to  explain  the  one  by  the  other,  and  from  hence  to 


r  89  ] 

The  people  of  God  have  in  all  times  af* 
ferted  the  divine  Unity  in  the  ilrongeft 

terms, 

<*  prove  the  divinity  of  our  Saviour.  But  others,  as 
"  well  as  Monf.  Simon,  being  fenllble  of  this  phrafe 
*'  in  the  Chaldee  beinor  an  idiom  of  that   lang-ua^ye 

o  too 

^'  which  may  be  otherwife  explained,  they  are  againlt 
*'  prefling  any  argument  from  it  for  this  point,  becaufe 
^'  it  is  capable  of  an  anfwer  to  which  we  cannot  well 
*'  reply :"  [i.  e.  I  prefume,  it  would  prove,  that  the 
JVordm  the  beginning  of  John's  gofpel  is  wrongly  ap* 
plied  to  Chrift,  and  is  nothing  but  a  defcription,  in 
the  Hebrew  way,  of  God  himfelf^  which  feems  the 
true  interpretation,  tho'  Prideaux  and  many  others 
have  been  unwilling  to  admit  it.] — Prideaux  z  Connec 
iion^  kc.  vol.  iv.  p.  749,  750. 

Capellus  fays,  "  Although  I  will  not  diredlly  coa- 
demn  the  conjedure,  I  think  it  not  fufficiently  folid 
againft  an  obftinate  Jew.  For  it  is  certain  the  Chal- 
dee paraphrafe  continually  ufes  the  term,  Mimra,  IVord 
for  the  reciprocal  pronoun,  himfelf.  Continual  exam- 
ples occur  of  this  way  of  fpeaking.  And,  therefore, 
the  Word  of  the  Lord^  lidlmra  Dejy  can  fignify  no 
more  according  to  them,  than  the  Lotd  himfelf ."—.Lud, 
Capelli  op,  p.  76. 

A  few  inflances  out  of  a  thoufand  that  are  produced 
by  Allix,  and  Bp.  Kidder  in  his  demonftration  of  the 
Mefliah,  will  explain  and  confirm  this  interpretation. 

"  Genefis  i,  27.  Inftead  of  God  created  man^  it  is  in 
the  Jerufalem  Targum,  the  word  (Mimra)  of  the  Lord 
created  many  i.  e.  (hot  the  word.  Logos,  a  diftin^l 
being,  but)  the  Lord  himfelf  created  man, 

^  Gen. 


f  90  ] 

terms.  One  of  the  articles  of  their  creed 
is,  *'  Credo  perfedla  fide,  quod  Deus  Cre- 
ator unus  fit ;  quodque  unitas  talis  qualis 
in  eo  eft,  in  alio  nemine  reperiatur;*'  i.  e. 
I  believe  with  an  intire  faith,  that  God, 
the  Creator,  is  One  perfon,  and  that  the 
unity  or  onenefs  which  is  in  him  is  not  in 
any  other. 

Buxtorf,  who  gives  us  this  article  of 
their  faith,  p.  3,  in  his  account  of  their 
daily  devotions,  informs  us — "  They  then 
go  on  to  fmg,-— ^W  GodJIjall  he  king  over 
all  the  earth :  In  that  day  there  Jhall  be  One 

Gen.  ix.  12.  "  And  God  faid,  this  is  the  token  gf 
the  covenant  which  I  make  between  me  and  you/' 
Onkelos  paraph rafes—^^/z<;^^«  my  word  (my  Mimra) 
and  you,  i.  e.  tnyfelf  and  you. 

Exod.  XX.  24.  "  For  I  will  come  unto  thee,  and  I 
will  blefs  thee."  The  Jerufalem  Targum  has  it,  my 
word  (my  Mimra)  fhall  appear  to  you  and  blefs  you— 
i.  e.  I  my felf. 

Pfalm  ex.  I.  "  The  Lord  faid  unto  my  Lord.*' 
The  Chaldee  paraphraft  renders  it,  The  Lord  faid  by 
his  word,  his  Mimra,  i.  e.  by  himfelf.  Which  fhew- 
cth,  he  did  not  rightly  underftand  the  words,  as  pro- 
phetically addrefled  to  the  Meffiah,  according  to  our 
Saviour's  own  interpretation  of  it,  Matth.  xxii.  44; 
but  thought  it  a  ftrong  afTeveration  made  by  God  him- 
felf, Kidder  s  dmovf  ration  of  the  Mrffiah,  part  iii. 
p.  108. 

God, 


L    91     ] 

God,  and  his  name  One^  (Zachariah  xiv.  9.) 
ill  like  manner  as  it  is  written  in  thy  law, 
Hear»  O  IfraeU  God  our  God  h  one  God, 
This  (continueth  he)  is  fo  drawn  up  by 
them  in  oppofition  to  the  belief  of  Chrif. 
tians,  as  though  we  adored  more  Gods 
than  one,  or  gave  him  more  names  than 
one,  viz.  that  of  Chrift  *." 

Our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  himfelf  uniform- 
ly and  invariably  taught  this  Jewifh  doc- 
trine of  the  divine  Unity.  One  is  fur- 
prized  how  any  could  bring  themfelves  to 
think  he  taught  any  other. 

I^anguage  the  moft  decifive  is  ufed  by 
him  to  denote  the  finglenefs  and  unity  of 
the  objed:  or  perfon;  /,  thou,  he,  him-, 
words,  which  in  every  other  inftance  we 
appropriate  to  one,  fingle  perfon ;  and 
w:hich,  without  confounding  all  language, 
are  incapable  of  being  applied  to  more 
than  one, 

*  Buxtorf.  Synagoga  Judaica,  p.  165. 

Athanafius,  writing  againft  the  Arlans,  owns 
that,  on  account  of  the  dodrine  of  theTiinlty,  the  hea- 
thens of^that  time  chargedChriftians  with  holding  many 
Qods  themfelves.  Well  then  might  the  Jews  fo  think 
of  that  do6lrine,  whieh  he  and  others  had  framed. 

Matthew 


[    92   3 

Matthew  xxii.  37,  38,  he  inculcates 
that  firft  and  great  commandment  of  the 
law,  referring  no  doubt  to  Deuteron.  vi. 
4,  5.  "  Thou  fhalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God 
with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  foul, 
and  with  all  thy  mind."  And  fupremc 
affedion  cannot  belong  to  two  or  more 
perfons.  We  can  but  love  One  with  all 
our  heart. 

Chrift  never  referred  the  Jews  to  any 
other  than  the  Lord  God  of  their  fathers> 
whofe  words  he  quotes  to  them,  Matth. 
xxii.  32.  I  am  the  God  of  Abraham,  &c. 
—Nor  any  other  Creator  than  he^  that 
One,  whom  Mofes  declared.  Matth.  xix. 
4,  He  which  made  them  at  the  beginning, 
made  them  male  and  female :  and  Mark 
X.  6,  From  the  beginning  of  the  creation 
God  made  them  male  and  female. 

And  Matth,  iv.  10,  he  in  the  moft  de- 
cifive  terms  declares  the  Lord  God  to  be 
One  perfoHy  and  fingly,  exclufive  of  all 
others,  to  be  the  fole  objedt  of  worflhip ; 
"  Thou  fhalt  worfliip  the  Lord  thy  God, 
and  him  only  (halt  thou  ferve.'* 

His  difciples  after  him  fpeak  the  fame 

language. 

St. 


[     93     ] 

St.  Paul  declares  to  the  Athenians, 
**  Whom  ye  ignorantly  worfliip,  kim  de- 
clare I  unto  you ;  God  that  made  the 
world — he  is  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth ; 
and  now  commandeth  all  men  every  where 
to  repent ;  becaufe  he  hath  appointed  a  day 
in  the  which  he  will  judge  the  world  by  the 
man  whom  he  hath  ordained ;  whereof  he 
hath  given  affurance  unto  all  men,  in  that 
he  hath  raifed  him  from  the  dead."  Adls 
xvii.  23,  &c. 

Sec  alfo  the  joint  prayer  of  the  apoftles, 
Afts  iv.  24. 


It  is  related  of  father  Paul,  No  plurality 

of  perfons  in 

that  he  was  once  denounced  to  God. 
the  office  of  the  holy  inquifition,  for  main- 
taining that  no  proof  of  the  doftrine  of 
the  holy  Trinity  could  be  drawn  from  the 
firft  chapter  of  Genefis ;  and  that  not  be- 
ing intimidated  by  the  accufation,  fo  as  to 
retraft  his  opinion,  but  perfifting  in  it, 
and  making  his  appeal  to  the  inquilltor- 
general.a.t  Rome,  he  was  acquitted^.  What 
was  not  found  to  be  herefy  at  Rome,  'tis 
hoped,  will   not   be   ftigmatized  as  fuch 

*  Vita  del  Padre  Paolo,  p.  28.^ 

here. 


[;  94  ] 

here.  Calvin  warDs  his  readers  agairifi: 
fHchftrained  interpretations  of  fcriptare*; 
and  many  other  learned  men  befidcs,  who 
have  defended  the  received  docTtrine  from' 
other  paflages  of  fcripture,  have  rejected 
the  kind  of  proof  here  brought,  as  too  flen- 
dcv  and  precarious  a  foundation  to  reft 
fach  a  dodrine  upon  it. 

The  ftate  of  the  matter  is  this.  The 
firft  words  of  the  Bible  are,  /*  In  the  Be*, 
ginning  God  created  the  heaven  and  the 
earth."  But  the  V4^6rd  ufed  for  God  is 
EMim  or  ^leim  (as  fome  v^rite  it)  v^ith  a 
plural  termination ;  and  the  verb  created 
is  fingular,  as  though  one  fhould  fay  in 
Englifli  GWj  ^^/i?  created  5  whence  they 
would  infer  "f*  the  One  God  to   be  made 

up 

*  *'  Habetur  apud  Mofen  Elohim,  nomen  pluralis 
Humeri.  Unde  colligere  folent  hie  in  Deo  notari  tres 
perfonas.  Sed  quia  parum  folida  mihi  videtur  tantae 
rel  probatio,  ego  in  voce  non  infiftam.  Quin  potius 
monendi  funt  lecSlores,  ut  fibi  a  violentis  ejufmodi  glof- 
fis  caveant."     Calvin,  Comment,  in  Gen.  i.  i. 

t  It  would  hence  follow,  that  Dagon^  the  god  of 
the  Philiftines,  confifted  of  a  Trinity  or  plurality  of 
perfons:  for  Judges  xvi.  23,  there  is  exa6lly  the  fame 
conftrudion  as  here,  where,  inftead  of  our  prefent 
tranflation — •«  Our  God  hath  delivered  Safnfon  :"— — 

It 


[  95  ) 

up  of  more  perfons  than  one,  altho*  of  how 
many,  whether  three  or  more,  cannot 
hence  be  determined. 

But  whoever  knoweth  aught  of  the  He- 
brew language,  and  will  judge  without 
prejudice,  v/ill  perceive  that  there  is  no 
tfuch  thing  to  be  inferred,  nor  any  myftery 
at  all  couched  under  this  conftrudion  of  a 
verb  Angular  with  a  nominative  cafe  plu- 
ral, or  the  fimilar  conftruftion  of  a  noun 
fubftantive  of  plural  termination  with  an 
adjedive  fingular,  that  language  abound- 
ing with  fuch  irregularities. 

It  is  in  the  Hebrew,  "  Our  Gods  hath  delivered  Sam- 
fon  our  enemy  into  our  hand."  In  this  way  alfo  a 
trinity  or  plurality  of  Gods  might  be  proved  as  wel> 
as  a  Trinity  or  plurality  of  perfons,  as  they  term  it ; 
for  in  fome  inftances,  not  only  the  nominative  cafe  but 
the  verb  itfelf  is  plural — as  2  Sam.  vii.  23 — where  we 
tranllatc  '*  whom  God  went,  or  hath  gone  to  redeem,** 
it  is,  in  the  Hebrew,  Gods  have  gone  to  redeem.  And 
fo  alfo  in  two  other  places,  where  alfo  the  One  true 
God  is  fpoken  of,  in  Gen.  xx.  13,  xxxv.  7,  but 
which  cannot  fo  well  be  made  to  appear  in  our  language, 
where  the  fmgular  and  plural  termination  of  the  verb 
is  the  fame.  But  in  the  French  it  is  more  evident— 
where,  in  the  firft  inftance — inftead  of  Dieu  ni  a  con- 
duit, it  is  in  the  Hebrew,  Dieux  m  ont  conduit  3  and 
in  the  latter,  inflead  of  D'leu  lui  etott  apparu  la,  it  is 
in  the  Hebrew,  Dieux  lui  etoient  apparu  la. 

Thus 


[    $6    J 

i-^liUs  Gea.  xxxix,  3,  '*  his  majler  faw>** 
is  in  the  Hebrew,  **  his  majler s  hath  feen/* 

Gen.  xlii.  30.  ''  the  man  who  is  the 
Lord  of  the  land,  is — the  man— -the  Lords 
of  the  land. 

So  Exod.  xxi.  4,  See  alfo  Prov.  xxvii. 
18.  XXV.  13.    Ifaiah  xix*  4. 

And  yet  we  do  not  conclude  any  pin- 
rality  of  niyftery  to  be  concealed  here. 

Inftances  of  the  like  ufage,  are  Pfalm 
cxlix.  2.  **  let  Ifrael  rejoice  in  him  that 
made  him,"  is  in  the  Hebrew,  *'  rejoice 
in  his  makers^ 

Ecclcf.  xii.  I.  Remember  thy  Creator 
is,  thy  Creators. 

Ifaiah  liv,  5.  "  thy  maker  is  thine  huf- 
band,'*  is  thy  makers — ihmc  hnjbands. 

The  feptuagint  tranflation  *  of  the  Bi- 
ble, which  was  made  before  our  Saviour's 

time, 

*  St.  Jerom,  who  faw  that  the  feptuagint  tranfla- 
tion of  the  bible  did  by  no  means  favour  his  Tri- 
nitarian notions,  pretended,  for  he  has  no  fort  of 
authority  for  it,  that  the  Jevvifli  tranflators  *'  be- 
"  lieved  the  dodlrine  of  the  Trinity,  but  conceal- 
*'  ed  it  on  purpofe  in  their  Greek  tranflation,  left 
•*  Ptolemy,  who  was  a  worftiipper  of  the  One  true 
"  God,  (hould  fufpe6l  the  Jews  of  holding  a  twofold 

^'  divinity* 


[    97     ] 

time,  and  moft  probably  made  ufe  of  and 
quoted  occafionally  by  his  apoflles  in  the 
writings  of  the  New  Teftament,  conftant- 
ly  renders  Elohim  or  Aieim,  ©^^c?,  God,  when 
fi^-^nifying  the  true  God.  And  all  other  tran- 
flations  agree  in  rendering  it  in  the  lingu- 
lar number,  confidering  its  plural  termi* 
nation  merely  as  an  idiom  of  the  Hebrew 
language,  which  makes  ufe  of  the  plural 
to  give  dignity  to  the  perfon  treated  of. 
And  on  this  account,  other  words  in  the 
fame  language,  as  Adonaim^  Baalm^  im- 
plying power,  authority,  and  dignity,  al- 
tho'  of  plural  termination,  are  always  of 

"  divinity.  And  they  were  the  more  induced  to  it, 
'*  (proceeds  he)  becaufe  it  f.rll  in  with  Plato's  doc- 
"  trine,"  (i.  e.  their  notion  of  Chrift  being  2,  fecond 
God*)  "  Laftly,  fays  he,  wherever  the  Icripture  af- 
*'  ferts  any  thing  concerning  the  Father,  Son,  and 
''  Holy  Ghoft,  they  either  gave  a  different  turn  to  it, 
"  or  pafTed  it  over  in  filence,  out  of  complaifance  to 
''  the  king,  and  for  fear  of  divulging  too  much  the 
<«  myftery  of  the  faith." 

See  Le  Clerc's  remarks  on  Jcrom  in  his  ^eftionss 
Hieronymtana^  p.  304 — 5.  This  flanderous  device  and 
apology  ofjeroni's  fhews  how  nearly  their  nCw-invented 
doctrine  of  the  Trinity  bordered  upon  the  polytheifm 
and  idolatry  of  the  he^athens,  v/hen  there  was  fuch 
danger  of  its  being  mifcon'flrued  and  taken  for  it. 

II  ^  finguhr 


f     9?     ] 

Angular  fignification,  when  oije  fubjedt  o? 
perfon  is  fpoken  of*. 

Texts  fuppofed      j  John  V*  7,  8.  For  there  are 

to  favour  a  plu-     i  i         i 

raiityofperfons  three  that  bear  record  [in  hea- 

Trinity  in^U-  '^^'^^^  ^^^  Father,  the  Wo7'dy  a7id 
«Jty.  the  Holy  Ghoji ;  and  thefe  three 

are  One.     And  there  are  three  that  bear  wit-- 

*  Mr.  Madan,  in  his  late  Scriptural  Comment  on 
the  xxxix  articles,  p.  6i,  where  we  render  Deut.  vi.  4. 
"  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord" — he  paraphrafes. 

*'  Jehovah  (fubfifling  in)  our  Alelm  (or  plurality  of 
perfons)  (is  but)  one  Jehovah." 

According  to  this  interpretation,  what  we  read  Deut. 

X.  17.  "  For  the  Lord  your  God  is  God  of  Gods — 

would  be  paraph rafed,  ''  For  the  Lord,  or  Jehovah,  fub- 

fijiing  in  your  plurality  of  ftrfons^  is  plurality  of  perfons 

of  plurality  of  perfons. 

If  any  are  pleafed  with  fuch  interpretations,  they 
have  a  right  to  judge  for  themfelves,  but  let  them  not 
condemn  thofe  v/ho  are  content  with  what  is  plainer 
and  lefs  myfterious. 

See  fome  good  remarks  on  this  point  in  the  appen- 
dix to  "  Jn  appeal  to  the  common  fenfe  of  all  people, 
particularly  the  members  of  the  church  of  Englandy 
tvhh  regard  to  an  important  point  of  faith  and  praSiice, 
impofed  upon  their  confciences  by  public  authority^*  firft 
printed  for  Millar,  1753 — a  ferious  unanfwef able  work, 
and  which  has  been  ufeful  in  confirming  many  in  the 
true  Unitarian  doctrine  of  the  fcriptures,  that  ths  Ont 
God  of  Chrjiians  is  the  Father  only, 

nefs 


[    99    ] 

mfs  in  earthy]  the  fpirit,  the  water,  and 
the  blood;  and  thefe  three  agree  in  one. 

The  words  here  put  in  a  parenthefis  and 
different  character,  are  not  the  genuine 
words  of  the  apoftle  St.  John  *.  The 
reafons  for  their  not  being  genuine,  are 
thus  briefly  fummed  up  by  Dr,  Clarke  -f*; 

**  This  pafTage  was  never  cited  by  any  of 
the  numerous  writers  in  the  whole  Arian 
controverfy :  nor  ever  cited  at  all  by  any 
Greek  father,  (in  any  genuine  work)  ei- 
ther before  or  after  the  council  of  Nice; 
though  many  of  them  quote  the  words 
immediately  foregoing  and  following  :  nor 
by  any  of  the  LatinSy  before  St.  J^rom: 
the  paflage  alleged   by  fome  out  of  T<^r- 

*  "  Dr.  Jortin  calls  it  zfpurious  text^  which  Is 
ftill  maintained  in  bold  defiance  to  the  fulleft  and  clear- 
eft  evidence  ag^inft  It."  Ecclefiaflical  hijiory^  vol.  iii. 
p.  100. 

The  famous  Dr.  Waterland  gave  it  up  as  indefen- 
fible. 

Luther  and  Bullinger,  at  the  time  of  the  reforma- 
tion, omitted  it  in  their  German  tranflations  of  the 
Bible. 

t  But  whoever,  as  he  obferves,  would  fee  the  whole 
matter  learnedly  and  declfively  ditcuiled,  may  have  re- 
courfe  to  Mr,  Emlyns  full  enquiry  into  that  text  l  John 
V,  7.  with  the  defejicei  of  it. 

H    2  .  ^  tllllbnf 


[     loo     ) 

tuUiariy  being  plainly  not  the  words  of  this 
text,  but  of  that  author  himfelf ;  and  the 
paffage  out  of  Cyprian ^  being  only  a  myf- 
tical  interpretation  of  the  8th  verfe;  as  is 
more  than  probable,  as  well  from  the  ex- 
prefs  tefti monies  of  Euchcrius  and  Facundus^ 
referred  to  by  Dr.  Mills ^  as  from  the  text's 
being  wanting  in  all,  even  the  Latin  co- 
pies, both  before  and  long  after  Cyprians 
time.  And  even  in  the  firft  Englifli  Bi- 
bles after  the  reformation,  in  the  time  of 
Henry  the  Eighth,  and  Edward  the  Sixth, 
it  was  printed  in  a  differ eiit  charaBer,  to 
fi2;nify  its  being  wanting  in  the  original. 
Which  diftindtion  came  afterwards  to  be 
negledled.  And,  as  to  Greek  manujcripts^ 
it  has  never  yet  been  proved  to  be  found 
in  the  text  of  any  one  of  them,  elder  than 
tlie  invention  of  printing. — Scripture  doc-- 
trine  cf  the  Trinity y  p.  231,  232. 

Dr.  Clarke  in  the  fame  place  well  fliews 
the  fenfe  of  the  apoflle  to  be  very  com- 
plete without  this  paffage. 

<«  Who  is  be    that  over  comet  h  the  ivorld, 
but  he  that  believeth  that  Jefus  is  the  Son  of 
God?  This  is  he   that  came  (that  was  de- 
clared and  manifefted  to   be  the  Son  of 

God) 


[       lOI        ] 

God)  by  water  and  blood ;  {by  'water ^  at  his 
baptifm,  when  there  came  a  voice  from 
heaven,  faying,  this  is  my  beloved  fon  :) 
and  by  bloody  viz.  by  his  death  and    refur- 

redion  : and  it  is  the  Spirit  (the  giftg 

of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  and  the  power  of 
^miracles  granted  to  the  apoftles)  that 
beareth  witnejs ;  becaiife  the  Spirit  is  truth. 
For  there  are  three  that  bear  record^  the 
Spirit,  the  water y  and  the  blood-,  and  thefp 
three  agree  in  One -,  or,  as  fome  ancient 
writers  read  the  text,  thefs^  three  are  one, 
viz.  one  teftimony,  that  Jefus  is  the  Son 
of  God." 

It  is  very  remarkable,  that  this  text, 
for  which  there  is  fo  little,  or  rather  no 
authority  at  all,  is  the  only  one  *  through^* 

out 

*  "  It  is  certain  the  common  people  have  their  eyes 
upon  this,  more  than  on  anv-'«  ndoubted  text  m  the  Bi- 
ble, in  this  controverfy,  Andi  fo  far  they  muft  be  de- 
ceived, if  it  be  fpurious.  And  it  is  in  your  LordJJnps 
and  the  Clergy's  power  to  let  them  know  it,  and  to  re- 
fsr  them  to  other  texts,  which  you  can  affiire  them  are 
genuine. 

*'  Nor  is  there  any  doubt  to  be  made,  but  the  peo- 
ple think  fome  branches  of  the  liturgy  have  their  maM 
foundation  on  this  one  doubted  text.  When  they  hear, 
three  perfons  and  OneGod^  in  the  fourth  petition  of  the 
H  3  '  litany  ; 


[       I02      ] 

out  the  whole  Bible  that  makes  difedtlyjor  the 
dodrine  of  the  Trinity  in  Unity:  all  th« 
other  texts,  that  are  brought  for  it,  are 
only  inferences  from  what  is  fuppofed  to. 
be  implied  in  particular  paffages  of  fcrip- 
ture  :  but  that  three  are  oney  the  Father^ 
the  Wordy  and  the  Spirit,  One,  is  no  where 
elfe  exprefsly  or  certainly  declared. 

litany ;  and,  who  with  thee  and  the  Holy  Ghojl  ever  //V- 
eth  and  reignethOneGod,  m  the  doxoiogief ;  they  think 
nothing  in  the  New  Teftament  fo  like  it  as  this  dubi- 
ous text.  And  will  you  not  think  it  great  pity,  that 
your  people  fhould  build  fo  weighty  things  on  fuch  a 
flender  foundation,  if  your/elves  fo  judge  it  ? 

"  I  fpeak  this,  becaufe  I  know  not  any  other  text, 
that  aireSIly  or  clearly  fays  the  fame  thing,  viz.  that 
the  Father^  Word,  and  Spirit,  are  One,  They  are  not 
joined  in  one  doxology  ;  nor  indeed  do  I  find  any  [dox- 
ologyj  given  to  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  New  Teftament, 
either  jointly  ov  feparately  ;  much  lefs  is  the  Spirit  faid 
to  be  One  with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  I  read  of  One 
Spirit,  One  Lord,  One  God,  and  Father,  Eph.  iv.  but 
not  that  thefe  three  are  One,  And  if  there  be  no 
ott2£r  text  which  fays  this,  it  is  not  the  more  likely  to 
have  been  St.  Johns  faying  here  ^  but  the  more  grie- 
vous to  have  it  inferted  by  any  who  had  not  his  autho- 
rity."— Mr.  Enilyn's  (ferious  and  affedling)  Addrefs  to 
both  houfes  sf  convocation,  for  the  removal  of  this  text 
^gut  of  our  Bibles^  vol,  ii.  p.  159,  i6o. 

Matth. 


r'  103  ] 

Matthew  xxviii.  19. 
**  Go  ye  therefore f  and  teach  all  nations^ 

baptizing   them  in    the  name  of  the  Fa^ 

thery  and  of  the  Son^   and  of  the  Hoh 

Ghojir 

The  apoftles  of  our  Lord,  to  whom  he 
delivered  this  direction  concerning  bap- 
tifm,  could  not  conclude  from  any  thing 
he  had  before  taught  them,  that  he  in- 
tended by  it  any  thing  like  what  we  call 
the  doftrine  of  the  Trinity  in  Unity.  For 
he  had  taught  them,  that  there  was  One 
Gody  the  Father,  **  and  none  other  but  ^^." 
Mark  xii.  42,  He  had  taught  them,  that 
hehimfelfwa§  the  Son  of  the  Father,  his 
meffenger,  and  that  he  received  his  being, 
dodrine,  authority,  power,  every  thing 
from  him.  And  he  had  conftantly  fpoken 
to,  them  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  as  the  Com- 
forter or  gift  of  God,  by  which  he  him- 
felf  had  been  guided  and  aflifted,  John  iii. 
34.  i.  53.  Luke  iv.  i.  and  which  would 
be  fent  to  fupply  his  place  when  lie  left 
them,  to  affift  and  fupport  them  in  preach- 
ing his  gofpel  to  all  nations.  John  xiv.  xv. 
xvi.  m 

H  4  What 


[     J04     ] 

What  then  would  they  underftand  by 
this  form  of  baptilm,  which  we  have 
made  to  contain  iuch  a  myftery,  but  a 
compendious  fummary  of  the  gofpel  which 
he  had  taught  them  *,  and  into  which 
all  men  were  to  be  initiated,  and  inftrudt- 
ed  ?  —That  religion,  which  he  received 
from  God,  the  Father^  which  he  the  Son 
had  preached,  and  which  was  to  be  con- 
firmed and  propagated  by  the  miraculous 
powers  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 

It  does  not  appear  from  what  the  Lord 
Jefus  had  taught  them,  that  they  could 
make  any  other  conftrudlion  of  this  bap- 
tifmal  commiffion  given  to  them  :  nor 
does  it  appear  from  any  thing  which  they 
his  apoftles  afterwards  taught  others,  that 
they  did  in  fadt  otherwife  interpret  its 
much  lefs  infer  from  it  a  belief  of  a 
Trinity  in  Unity ^  or  that  the  Son  and 
Spirit  were  each  of  them  God  no  lefs  than 
the  Father y    and  equally  to    be  worjhiped, 

*  Chriftianity  is  the  religion  of  Chfift ;  or  that  doc-^ 
trine  of  religion,  which  God  the  Father  taught  by  the 
Son,  and  confirmed  by  the  Holy  Ghoft.  •  Matthew 
xxviii.  19. — Jefferies,  vol.  ii.  p.  309. 

Fon 


f    los   3 

For  we  find,  that  when  Philip  baptized 
the  great  officer  of  the  queen  of  Ethiopia, 
the  confeffion  of  faith  which  he  made,  and 
with  which  Philip  was  fatisfied,  was,  "  / 
believe  that  ^jejus  Cbrijl  is  the  Sen  of 
GodJ'  KGts  viii.  37.  And  this  flicweth, 
that  this  was  all  the  belief  that  was  necef- 
lary  to  qualify  for  baptifrn  in  the  apoftles 
days. 

And  that  no  fuch  ftrefs  was  Baptifm  by 
Jaid  on  this  form  of  words  as  we  in  the  name 
feem  to  have  laid  on    it,    and  j^^-^^^^^^^' 
that  the  apoftle?   did  not  think 
themfelves  fo  tied  up  to  it,  but  that  bap- 
tifrn might  be  compleat  without  it,  appears 
from  many  inftances   in  the  Ads  of  the 
apoftles,    and    St.  Paul's    epiftles.      For, 
Ads  ii.  38.     Peter  fays,    *^  be   baptized 
every  one  of  you  in  the   name  of  Jefus 
Chrift."     And  x.    48.     He  commanded 
them  to   be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord.  xix.  15.     When  they  heard    this, 
they  were   baptized   in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jefus.  Romans  vi.  3.  Know  ye  not, 
that  fo  many  of  us  as  were  baptized  into 
Jefus  Chrift,  were  baptized  into  his  death. 
Gal.  iii.  27.    For  as  many  of  you  as  have 

been 


[     io6     ) 
been  baptized  into  Chrift,  have   put  on 
Chrift  *• 

After  the  Nicenc  council  had  pronoun- 
ced baptifm  to  be  invalid  that  was  not 
performed  in  the  name  of  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghoft,  flatly  contrary  to  what 
appears  to  have  been  fometimes  the  prac- 
tice of  the  apoftles  themfelves,  we  find  the 
advocates  of  that  council  much  perplexed, 
how  to  fave  its"  credit  in  making  fuch  an 
unfortunate  determination.  But  they  foon 
found  out  this  curious  folution  of  the  dif- 
ficulty :  the  name — Chrift^  they  faid,  i.  e, 
the  Anointed  -f*,  was  itfelf  a  declaration  of 
the  whole  Trinity,  as  it  implied  God  the 
Father  by  whom  the  Son  was  anointed, 
the  Son  himfelf  who  was  anointed,  and 
the  Spirit  by  which  he  was  anointed,  ac- 
cording to  Ads  X.  38,  God  anointed  Jefus 
of  Nazareth  with  the  Holy  Ghoft.  And 
thus  indeed  they  made  it  out,  that  bap- 
tizing in  the  name  of  Chrift  might  imply 
a  declaration  of  the  whole  Trinity,  as  they 
called  it ;  but  not  of  fuch  a  Trinity  as  they 


*  Gataker — Jdverfariay  p,  29. 

t  Whitby-i^Stri/^,  Pairum   inA^i.JpoJlol  p.  231, 


232. 


contended 


[  107  ] 

contended  for,  nor  did  they  thereby  clear 
the  Nicene  fathers  of  fctting  up  their  wif-^ 
dom  againft  that  of  the  apoftles. 

But  it  is  argued,  that  the  Son  and  Holy 
Ghoft  being  thus  named  together  with  the 
Father,  and  baptifm  being  commanded  to 
be  celebrated  alike  in  the  name  of  all  the 
three,  the  ftridt  equality  of  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghoft  to  each  other,  may 
be  thence  inferred,  and  that  therefore  they 
are  equally  God,  and  equally  to  be  wor- 
shiped. 

The  weaknefs  of  this  inference  is  ob- 
vious from  many  parallel  paflages  in  the 
fcriptures.  i  Tim.  v.  21.  ''I  charge  thee, 
faith  the  apoftle,  before  Gody  and  the 
Lord  yefus  Chrill,  and  the  eleB  angels^ 
that  thou  obferve  thefe  things/'  The  an-* 
gels  being  here  named  along  with  God 
(ind  Chrilly  fliews,  that  when  God  is  join- 
ed with  other  beings  in  the  moft  folemn 
manner,  no  equality  can  be  inferred  from 
fuch  a  conjunction.  So  Sam.  xii.  i8.  All 
the  people /^^r^^  greatly  the  Lord  and  Sa^ 
muel,  I  Chron.  xxix.  20.  And  all  the 
congregation  bleffed  the  Lord  God  of  their 
fathers,  and  boWed  down  their  heads,  and 

'WOT'' 


[     io8    ] 

nvcrfiiped  the  Lord  and  the  king.  Se'e 
alfo  Exod.  xiv.  31.  Judges  vii.  18,  20. 
2  Chron.  xx.  20, 

And  I  Cor.  i.  15.  with  other  like  pla- 
ces, fhews,  that  baptizing  in  the  name  of 
any  one  does  not  of  itfelf  imply  any  divi- 
nity in  the  perfon  in  whofe  name  baptifm 
is  made. 

In  fhort,  nothing  can  be  concluded  from 
the  Son,  and  Holy  Ghoft  being  here  join- 
ed with  the  Father,  than  what  the  fcrip- 
tures  elfev/here  teach  us  concerning  them ; 
and  in  accord  with  what  thofe  fcriptures 
teach  us,  we  cannot  better  exprefs  the  full 
meaning  of  baptizing  in  the  name  of  the  Fa^ 
ther^  and  of  the  Son^  and  of  the  Holy  Ghoji, 
than  in  the  paraphrafe  of  Dr.  Clarke,  that 
it  is  *<  receiving  to  a  profeffion  of  the  be- 
lief, and  an  obligation  to  the  pradlice  of 
that  religion,  which  God  the  Father  has 
revealed  and  taught  by  the  Son,  and  con- 
firmed by  the  Holy  Ghoft'* 

This  interpretation  of  thebaptifmalform 
is  confirmed  by  thofe  fummaries  of  Chrif- 
tian  faith  drawn  up  in  the  firfl:  ages  after 
Chrifl:,  particularly  that  called  the  apojiles 
creed 'y  which,  although  not  compofed  by 

thema 


[   10^  ] 

them,  is  acknowledged,  the  greateft  part 
of  it,  to  be  of  very  early  times. 

Well  had   it  been    for  our  The  apofties* 

r>\.   TL'       •  -r     1      /-    creed  cenfured 

common  Cnnitianity,  ir  thele  by  fome  as  an 
models,  left  us  by  thefirft  be-  ^::Jt 
lievers,  had  been  copied  by 
thofe  that  came  after  them ;  and  we  had 
been  content  in  our  creeds  and  liturgies  to 
fpeak  of  God,  of  Chrift,  and  the  Holy 
Ghoft,  with  that  modeft  referve  and  regard 
for  holy  fcripture,  of  which  the  compilers 
of  thofe  creeds  and  abftrads  of  our  holy 
faith  have  fet  us  the  example.  This  cretJ 
of  the  apoJtleSf  however,  did  not  efcspe 
cenfure  in  after  times,  but  has  been  afperf- 
ed  in  moft  outrageous  fort,  as  favouring 
the  Phofinian^  or  what  is  now  called  the 
Socinian  herefy.  And  it  muft  be  owned, 
it  does  not  favour  the  Athanafian  doctrine 
of  the  Trinity,  and  approaches  too  near 
the  holy  fcriptures  to  content  thofe  who 
are  not  fatisfied  to  exprefs  their  faith  in 
fcripture  language. 

Alphonfus  de  Vargas^ .  a  Spaniard,  has 
given'us  at  large  the  angry  criticifm,  which 
fome  Englifh  and  Spanifli  Jcfuits  pafled 
upon  this  creed,  and  made  public.  As 
the  book  is  rare,  and  the  piece  very  cu- 
rious 


i      '^o      j 
rious  in  its  way,  I  lliall  produce  a  few  {eh-^ 
tences  from  the  conclufion,  and  give  the 
original  in  the  margin, 

*'  /  believe  in  the  Holy  Gboft  *. 
**  7his    proportion    is   put  with   a    bad 
defign^    and    is     defervedly    to   be  fiifpeSed 

for 

*  Credo  In  Splritum  Sanctum. 

Haec  propofitio  maligne  propofita  eft,  et  ex  afFedata 
hrevitate  merito  fufpe£ta  haberi  poteft.  Subdole  enim 
Spirltus  Sanfti  di/initatem,  ejufqueapatreetfilio  pro^ 
ceflionem  tacet.  Proindc  Arianam  haerefin  redolet, 
fchifmati  Grascorum  oblique  favet,  individuamque  Tri* 
nitatem  diflblvit. 

Itemque  tota  explicatio  divinse  atque  individusc  Tri- 
nitatis,  o6to  iftis  articulig  comprehenfa,  manca  et  pe- 
riculofa  eft,  avertitque  fldelem  populum  a  cultu  et  re- 
verentia  tribus  divlnis  perfonis  indivlfe  atque  infepara- 
biliter  debita,  et  fub  pr2itextu  brevitatis  et  non  neccf- 
fariae  explicationis  fubdole  totum  Trinitatis  myfterium 
evertit,  cum  tamen  perfe<5la  ejus  et  explicatafides  me-, 
dium  fit  ad  falutem  neceflarium.  Vixque  tota  hsec 
dodrina  excufari  poteft  a  dolo,  quod  nullam  de  Filii 
aut  Spiritus  San£ti  divinitate,  aut  etiam  aeternitatc 
mentionem  faciat,  fed  contrarium  de  Filio  in  articulo 
tertio  infinuet. — Alpho?ifi  de  Vargas^  Toletani^  Relalio 
dejiratagematis  Jefuitartm^  p.  148,   149.       1642. 

But  thefe  Jefuits  were  modeft  men  compared  with  a 
brother  of  theirs,  Father  Harduin,  almoft  in  our  own 
times.  For  he  by  one  bold,  crafty  blov/,  annihilates 
at  once  the  original  fcriptures  of  the  Old  and  New 

Teftament, 


f  "1 1 

for  its  affe5led  brevity.  For  it  craftily 
pajfes  over  injilence  the  divinity  of  the  Holy 
Gho/ly  and  his  proceeding  from  the  Father 
and  the  Son,  Moreover  it  fmells  gricvoujly 
of  the  Arian  herefy,  covertly  favour eth  the 

fchifm  of  the  Greeks^  and  de/lroys  the  undi^ 

*  vided  Trinity" 

Teftament,  and  all  the  authors  and  records  of  Pagan 
and  Chriftian  antiquity,  fix  authors  excepted,  viz, 
Flautus^t  Pliny  the  elder,  Firgil*s  nine  eclogues  and 
georgics,  Horace's  fatires  and  epiftles,  Homer's  iliad 
and  odyfley,  and  the  nine  books  of  Herodotids^  and  re- 
duces all  faith  and  knowledge  to  the  vuIgate  Latin 
tranflation  of  the  Bible,  and  the  fuppofed  conftant, 
living,  and  oral  tradition  of  his  church.  All  other 
v/ritings  he  maintains  to  have  been  forged  hy  2,fet  of 
Atheijis  in  the  fourteenth  century. 

His  fociety  were  forced  publicly  to  difavoW  him,  but 
he  was  to  the  laft  privately  cherifhed  by  them.  They 
well  knew  that  ignorance  was  the  mother  of  fuch  devo- 
tion as  they  taught,  and  that  the  Roman  catholic 
church,  as  they  have  modelled  it,  would  better  {land 
on  the  foot  of  tradition  among  themfelves,  than  on  the 
teftimony  of  the  original  fcripturcs  and  fathers.  And 
it  muft  be  owned,  it  was  a  noble  atheijlical  tSovi  to 
prop  the  tottering  fabric  of  popery,  and  in  an  age  lefs 
enlightened,  and  before  the  invention  of  printing, 
might  have  caufed  infinite  mifchief  and  confufion. — 
See  Joarmis  Harduini  Jcfuita  ad  cenfuram  fcriptorum 

veterum  prolegomena — With  a  learned  preface. ^For 

Vaillant,  1766. 

.     •*  And 


I     U2     3 

«^  j^nd  the  whole  of  this  expofiiion  of 
the  divine  and  undivided  Trinity ^  contain^ 
ed  in  thefe  eight  articles  [viz.  tht  apoftles 
creed  fo  divided]  is  defediive  and  dange* 
rous.  For  it  takes  the  faithful  off  from 
the  worjhip  arj  reverence  undividedly  and 
infqparably  to  be  paid  to  the  three  diviJie 
perfons ;  and  under  a  pretence  of  brevity 
and  making  no  unneceffary  enlargementy  it 
cunningly  overthrows  the  whole  mytlery  of 
the  Trinity y  whereof  the  perfedi^  and  ex^ 
p licit  belief  is  an  indiftenfble  condition 
of  falvation.  So'  that  this  whole  do^rine, 
{namely,  the  apoflies  creed)  can  hardly  be 
looked  upon  as  any  other  than  a  cheat,  be- 
caufe  it  maketh  no  mention  of  the  divi- 
nity of  the  Son  or  Holy  Ghofi^  cr  their ' 
eternity,  but  even  infmiates  /.^^  contrary 
concerning  the  Son  in  the  third  article^ 
viz.  who  was  conceived  of  the  Holy  Ghoji, 
born  of  the  Virgin  Mary  J' 

It  muft  be  confefled,  that  thefe  Jefuits 
had  fome  reafon  in  their  wrath  5  for  no- 
thing could  more  exprefsly  condemn  their 
doftrine  of  the  divine  tmdividcd  Trinity 
than  this  creed  of  the  apoftles  ^  and  hard- 
ly ihall  you  meet  with  two  greater  oppo- 

fites 


f     "3     ] 

fites,  than  this  creed  and  that  which  goes 
under  the  name  of  Athanafius. 

I  Cor.  xii.  4,  5,  6. 
Now  there  are  diverfities  of  gifts,  but  the 
fame  Spirit,     And  there  are  differences  of 
^    adminifirationst  but  the  fame  Lord.     And 
there  are  diver fities  of  operations^  hut  it  is 
the  fame  God,  that  worketh  all  in  all, 
Therefeems  jiothing  on  the  face  of  this 
paflage  of  fcripture,  or  on   a  comparifon 
of  it  with  any  thing  elfevvhere  fpoken  of 
the  Son  or  Holy  Spirit,  to  lead  us  to  infer 
from  it  the  dodtrineof  a  Trinity  in  Unity, 
or  the  equality  of  any  other  being  or  per- 
fon  to  God.     It  is,  on  the  contrary,  an 
exprefs  affertion  of  his   prime  over- ruling 
agency,  and  of  his  effeding  all  things  in 
the  Chriftian  difpenfation   by  the  miniftry 
of  his  Son  and  Holy  Spirit, 

The  apoftle's  defign,  in  this  place,  is 
to  promote  humility  and  peace ;  to  pre- 
vent the  Chriftians  at  Corinth  from  being 
elated  on  account  of  their  own,  or  envir 
ous  of  the  fpiritual  gifts  of  others.  For  the 
miraculous  power,  of  itfelf,  made  no  moral 
change  in  the  man  on  whom  it  was  con- 
I  ferred. 


1:114    ] 

ferred.  Without  care  and  felf  govern- 
ment, his  difpofitions  might  even  be  chang- 
ed for  the  v^^orfe,  by  thefe  extraordinary,  as 
often  happens  with  the  ordinary  bleffings 
of  Providence;  and  though  made  inftru- 
mental  thereby  to  promote  the  falvatioii 
of  others,  he  might  forfeit  his  own. 

He  tells  them  then,  i.  That  there  were 
different  gifts  of  tongues,  healing,  &c. 
imparted  to  different  perfons;  all  of  them 
equally  good,  becaufe  all  proceeding  from 
the  fame  Spirit  cr  influence  of  Gody  but  the 
variety  of  them  was  beftowed  for  public  uti- 
iity,  and  not  to  generate  ftrife  and  pride. 

2.  That  there  were  different  ftations 
and  offices  in  the  church,  the  Chriffian  fo- 
ciety;  viz.  the  people,  and  their  miniflers, 
the  deacons  and  elders ;  but  all  were  the 
appointment  of  the  fame  Lord  JefusChrift^ 
and  in  fubjecftion  to  him.     And, 

3.  There  were  different  lvipy^^a.rot,  in- 
fpirationsy  degrees  of.  infpiration :  but  all 

thefe  extraordinary  vouch fafements  pro- 
ceeded from,  and  were  direded  by  the 
fovereign  wifdom  and  power  of  God,  who 
taught  men  by  his  Son,  and  beftowed 
thefe  gifts  on  them  by  his  Floly  Spirit. 

Clement, 


[    115   ] 

Clement,  whom  St.  Paul  Co  highly 
commends,  Phil.  iv.  3.  feems  to  have  had 
this  very  paffage  in  his  eye  in  his  letter  to 
thefe  fame  Corinthians ;  **  Have  we  not 
(fays  he)  me  God^  one  Chriji.'*  Is  not 
one  fpirit  of  grace  poured  out  upon  us  all  ? 
-~^Wake^  ApofloUcal  Father Sy  p.  63. 

The  following  is  Athanafius's  com- 
ment upon  it,  for  which  I  am  obliged 
to  Dr.  Clarke  :  •*  In  the  diftribution  of 
gifts,  as  the  apoftle  writeth  to  the  Corin- 
thians, it  is  the  fame  Spirit,  it  is  the  fame 
Lord,  it  is  the  fame  God,  which  worketh 
all  in  all.  For  the  Father  himfelf,  tbrc 
the  Word,  by  the  Spirit,  worketh  and 
giveth  all  things ;"  i.  e.  as  Dr.  Clarke  fub- 
joins  a  little  lower  ;  **  In  plainer  words, 
the  meaning  is,  God  does  all  things  by 
his  Son,  and  by  his  Spirit."— /S^r.  Do^> 
p.  227. 

2  Corinth,  xiii.  14. 
Hbe  grace  cf  our  Lord  Jefus  Chriii^  and  the 

love  of  Gody  and  the  communion  of  the 

Soly  Ghod  be  with  you  all. 

The  Holy  Ghoft  here  fignifies,  either, 

I.  a  divine  perfon,  a  diftindl  intelligent 

agent,  as  fome  underftand  it :  or,  2.  the 

I  2  gift 


C     ii6    ] 

gift  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  ABs  ii.  38.  which 
Peter  tells  the  Jews  would  be  given  them 
on  their  repenting  and  being  baptized; 
viz.  the  miraculous  powers  then  ordina- 
rily conferred  on  believers  :  or  it  may  fig- 
nify  any  benefit  or  afliftance  which  God 
beftows  in  anfwer  to  our  prayers :  com- 
pare Matth.  vii.  11.  with  Luke  xi.  i  3, 

And  the  apoftle  bids  farewel  to  his  Co- 
rinthian brethren,  by  wi(hing  them  all  the 
bleffings  of  the  gofpel ;  viz.  the  grace  of 
Chrift,  the  love  of  God  which  is  the 
fource  of  all,  (John  iii.  16,)  and  the  gifts 
and  aflidances  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  In 
fbort,  it  is  a  fummary  of  the  gofpel  me- 
.thod  of  falvation,  much  like  the  baptif- 
mal  form  (Matth.  xxviii.  19.)  above  dif- 
cuffed,  and  can  no  more  than  that  be 
brought  to  prove  the  doftrine  of  a  Trinity 
in  Unity,  unlefs  it  be  fuch  a  Trinity  as 
this,  namely,  ^' xh2il  tht  One  God  and  Fa'^ 
ther  of  all  governs  and  manages  the  world 
of  Chriftians  by  the  inftrumentality  of  his 
Son,  and  Spirit. 

Thefe  are  the  principal  texts  of  the  New 
Teftament  which  are  brought  to  eftablifli 
the  dodlrine  of  a  Urinity  in  Unity ^  of  there 
being  three  'perjom^^s  they  fpeak,  in  the 

Goi^ 


Godhead,  equal  in  power  y  fever  ally  God» 
and  yet  but  One  God-,  and  upon  which 
many  parts  of  our  liturgy,  and  particular- 
ly the  invocations  at  the  entrance  of  the 
litany,  and  the  Gloria  Patri,  Sec.  are 
founded  ;  a  weak  foundation,  as  hath  been 
fhewn,  for  fuch  a  building. 

With  regard  to  the  laft  named  doxolo^ 
gy,  I  was  much  difappointed,  and  few  will 
be  fatisfied  with  what  the  late  Archbifhop 
Seeker  argues  in  its  behalf,  and  in  defence 
of  the  exceeding  frequent  repetition  of  it 
in  our  church  fervice. 

"  At  the  end  of  this  and  each  pfalm 
(fays  he)  that  we  repeat,  of  whatever  na- 
ture it  be,  we  add  the  fame  doxology  that 
we  ufed  at  firfl: :  i.  e.  Glory  be  to  the  Far- 
ther, and  to  the  Son^  and  to  the  Holy  Ghojl : 
'As  it  was  in  the  beginning,  is  now,  and  ever 
Jhall  be,  world  without  end:  glory  being 
due  to  God,  for  every  thing  he  hath  taught, 
and   every  thing   he  hath   done,  both  in 
former  times  and  prefent ;  and   for  every 
afflidlion  as  well  as  for  every  enjoyment. 
And  therefore  w^e  do  well  to  obferve  the 
apoftle's  rule  of  **  giving  thanks  always  for 
all  things  unto  God  and  the  Father,  in  the 
name  of  our  Lord  fefus  Chriji.  Eph.  v,  20^'", 
*  Abp.  Seeker's  pofthumous  works,  vol.  vi,  p.  188* 
I  2  Surely 


[     n8    } 

Surely  this  was  an  unlucky  overfight,  fa 
produce  a  te^t  which,  although  injoining 
thanks  to  be  given  always  for  all  things, 
yet  tacitly  condemns  the  pradice  of  giving 
thanks  to  three  perfons,  and  ordereth  thanks 
to  be  given  unto  God  and  the  Father  only^  in 
the  name  pf  our  Lord  Jefus  Cbrift. 

Concerning  this  doxology.  Dr.  Lard- 
ner  thus  remarks,  '*  Doubtlefs  this  is  faid 
by  many  very  frequently,  and  with  great 
devotion.  But  can  it  be  faii  truly  ?  does 
not  that  deferve  confideration  ?  is  there 
any  fuch  doxology  in  the  New  Teftament  ? 
If  not,  how  can  it  be  faid  to  have  been  in 
the  beginning  ?  Are  not  the  books  of  the 
N«w  Teftament  the  moft  ancient  and  the 
moft  authentic  Chrftian  writings  in  all  the 
^vorld?  It  matters  not  much  to  inquire 
when  this  doxology  v/as  lirft  ufed,  or  how 
long  it  has  been  ufed,  if  it  is  not  in  the 
Nev/  Teftament  *•" 

The 

*  Lardncr's  letter  on  the  Logos,  p.  176.  See  alfo. 
^  fine  paiTage,  p.  169,  170,  171. 

Some  may  be  curious,  hpwever,  tp  know  "when  it 
firft  c^me  into  ufe.  In  the  fourth  century,  after  the 
council  of  Nice,  there  were  great  contentions  about 
the  form  of  their  do^^ologies,  thofe  of  holy  fcripture 

behi^' 


[     '^9     ] 

The  law   of  God,  given  Religious  worfhip 

.        _  -         T^jr    r  .    to  be  paid  to  God, 

to  the  Jews  by  Moles,  and  tjbe  Father  only^ 
often   confirmed  _  afterwards  rj.^^a-tf 
by  the  fame  divine  authori- 
ty, invariably  taught  the  Unity  of  God, 
Deut,  vi,  4.  Exod,  xx.  2,  3,  &c.  &c. 

In  confequence  of  this,  the  Unity  of  his 
worfliip  was  moft;  ftrid:ly  injoined,  and  in- 
violably to  be  obfcrved. 

Ifaiah  xlii.  8.  "  I  am  the  Lord  ;  that  13 
my  name :  and  my  glory  will  I  not  give 
to  another,  neither  my  praife  to  graven 
images."  See  alfo  that  fine  prayer  of  King 
Solomon's  at  the  dedication  of  the  temple, 
2  Chron.  vi.  and  the  book  of  Pfalms,  &c. 

being  too  plain  and  fimple  for  the  feveral  contending 
parties.  Jerom  is  then  firft  faid  to  have  compofed  thi* 
verficle.  Glory  be  to  the  Father^*  Sic,  at  the  requeft  ot 
.Pope  Damajus ;  and  at  his  requeft  to  have  afterwards 
added  the  other,  As  it  was  in  the  beginning,  &c.  And 
the  caufe  of  this  addition  v/as,  becaufe,  without  it, 
crafty  heretics  might  ftill  have  gone  on  with-  their  blaf- 
phemy,  In  underjianding  the  Son  of  God,  not  to  have 
exifted  always  with  the  Father,  but  to  have  had  a  be- 
ginning of  exiftence. — nonfemper  cum  Fatre  fuijfe,  fed 
a  tempore  coepiJfe,^^—'-^Dall(Sus  de  cult,   Lat»  religtof^ 

If  this  be  a  true  account,  itmuft  be  owned,  that,  this 
famous  doxology  had  but  an  unchri^ian  and  uncharitable 
firigin, 

I  4  ^  This 


This  being  then  the  Mofaic  law,  that 
reh'gious  worfliip  was  to  be  appropriat^sd 
to  God,  and  incommunicable  to  any  other 
perfon  whacfoever,  every  Jew  was  bound 
to  give  divine  honour  to  God,  and  could 
not  give  it  to  any  other,  without  incurring 
the  guilt  of  idolatry.  Jefus,  therefore, 
and  his  apoftles  were  obliged  by  this  law 
to  worfhip  no  other  being  but  God,  unlcfs 
it  can  be  proved,  that  Chrift,  by  his  di- 
vine authority,  or  his  apoftles  by  his  direc- 
tion, did  in  any  (hape  repeal  it.  But  that 
they  themfelves  conformed  to  it,  and  gave 
frefli  fanftions  to  its  authority,  is  now  to 
be  fhewn. 

Our  Saviour  Chrift  himfelf  always  pray- 
ed to  God,  the  Father,  his  Father  and  our 
Fat  her  y  his  God  and  our  God.  John  xx.  17. 

Luke  X.  21.  **  I  thank  thee,  OFather, 
Lord  of  heaven  and  earth — even  fo.  Fa- 
ther, for  fo  it  feemed  good  in  thy  fight." 

Luke  xxii.  42.  "  Father,  if  thou  be 
willing,  (or,  oh,  that  thou  wouldft)  re* 
"move  this  cup  from  me  :  neverthelefs,  not 
my  will,  but  thine  be  done." 

John  xvii.  throughout. 

Our 


[       121      ] 

Our  Saviour  Chrift  not  only  prayed 
hiinfelf  but  alfo  directed  prayer  to  be  made 
only  to  God^  the  Father.  - 

.  Luke  xi.  i,  2.     Matth.  iv,   10.     John 
XV.  16. 

It  v^ere  needlefs  to  multiply  authorities 
for  fo  plain  a  point. 

Our  Saviour  Chrift  feems,  in  words  as 
cxprefs  as  can  be  ufed,  to  forbid  men's  of-^ 
fering  prayer  to  himfelf.  John  xvi.  23.  In 
that  ddiy yejhallajk  me  nothing:  verily,  verily, 
I  fay  unto  you,  Yfh'^i(oQvtv  y^fiall  ajk  the 
Father  in  my  name^  he  will  give  it  you." 
Hitherto  he  had  been  all  along  prefent  with 
his  difciples,  as  it  were  in  God's  ftead  in 
fome  refped:s,  with  a  divine  power  to  heal 
bodily  difeafes,  to  inftrudt  in  the  divine 
will,  to  forgive  fins,  and  to  comfort  and 
eftablifh  'em  in  his  faith.  In  confequence 
of  which  they  had  had  recourfe  to  him  in 
^11  their,  wants  and  diftreffes,  Matthew 
yiii.  25.  **  Lord,  fave  us,  we  perifh." — 
Lukexvii.  5.  **  Lord,  increafe  our  faith." 
But  as  he  was  now  foon  going  to  Jbie 
withdrawn  from  them,  he  acquaints  tliem, 
that,  when  that  event  took  place,  they 
were  no  more  to  apply  to  him  for  any  thing, 
bat   to  God^  the  Father ^  [the  common  Fa* 

ther 


[      t22      ] 

ther  (f  him,  and  of  them  ali^  in  his  name, 
that  is,,  as  his  difciples,  relying  on  his  au« 
thority,  and  in  virtue  of  thofe  aflurances 
and  promifes  from  God  which  he  had 
given  them. 

I  (hall  need  no  apology  for  producing 
the  following  important  and  appofite  paf- 
fage  from  Ladiantiui. 

<*  When  God  faw  the  wickednefs  of, 
men,  aud  that  the  worfhip  of  falfc  Gods 
prevailed  over  the  whole  earth,  (for  his 
own  people  the  Jews  bad  not  been  true  to 
him,)  he  fent  his  Son  on  an  embafly  to> 
men,  to  convert  them  from  their  various 
impious  and  falfe  worfhips,  to  know  and 
to  worfhip  him  the  true  God,  and  alfo  to 
turn  them  from  folly  to  true  wifdom,  from 
iniquity  to  righteoufnefs*.     Thefe  are  the 

ways 

*  Has  funt  viae  Dei,  in  quibus  ambulare  eum  prae- 
ccpit.  Haec  praecepta,  quae  fervanda  mandavit.  Ille 
vero  exhibuit  Deo  fidem :  docuit  enim  quod  unus 
Deus  Tit  J  eumque  folum  coli  oportere;  nee  un- 
q^am  feipfuni  Deum  dixit :  quia  non  fervaffet  fidem, 
fi  miflus,  ut  Deos  tollerct,  et  unum  afTereret,  indu- 
ceret  alium  praeter  unum.  Hoc  erat,  non  de  uno 
Deo  facere  praeconium  j  nee  ejus,  qui  miferat,  fed 
luum  proprium  negotium  gerere  j  ac  fc  ab  eo,  quem 
illuftratum  venerat,  feparare.     Propterea,^  quia  tarn  fi- 

ddis 


[      ^23] 

ways  of  God,  in  the  which  he  command- 
ed him  (his  Son)  to  walk.  Thefe  the  pre- 
cepts, which  he  gave  him  to  keep*     And 
be  was  faithful  to  God.     For  he  taught, 
that  God  is  One :  that  he  only  is  to  be 
worfhipped :  Nor  did  he  ever  fay  that  he 
himfelf  was  God ^  becaufe  he  would  not 
have  been  found  faithful,  if  when  fent  to 
deftroy  the  worfliip   of  many  Gods,  and 
affert  the  worfhip  of  One  alone,  he  had 
brought    in    another   befides    that   One. 
This  would  not  have  been  preaching  the 
One  God,  and  doing  the  work  of  him  that 
fent  him,  but  his  own  work,  and  with- 
drawing himfelf  from  Him  whom  he  came 
to  declare.     And  becaufe  he  was  io  faith- 
ful, and  aflumed  nothing  to  himfelf,  in- 
tent only  on  fulfilling  the  commands  of 
him  that  fent  him;  therefore  he  was  re- 
warded with  the  dignity  of  an  everlafting 
high-prieft,  the  honour  of  a  fupreme  king, 
the  authority  of  a  judge,  and  the  name 
(or  title)  of  God." 

delis  extitit,  quia  fibi  nihil  prorfus  afrmnpfit,  ut  man- 
data  mittentis  impleret ;  et  facerdotis  perpetui  dignita- 
tem, et  regis  fummi  honorem,  et  judicis  poteftatem, 
ec  Dei  nomen  accepit." — LailaJitiits  ie  vera  fapientia 
4t  religioney  1,  i v.  p.  198. 

One 


r  124  ] 

One  would  hardly  think  it  poffible,  by 
any  device,  to  evade  and  fet  afide  the  force 
of  our  Saviour  Chrift's  own  example,  and 
exprefs  precept   of  offering  worfliip  and, 
prayer  to  the  One  God,  the  Father  only*- 
But  nothing  is  too  hard  to  be  got  over  by 
thofe,  who  have  once  warmly  efpoufed  a 
religious  fyftem,  and  are  unwilling  to  re- 
linquifn  it.   Hence  it  has  been  ingenioufly 
invented  by  fome,    though  without  any 
authority  from    holy   fcripture,    that   the 
word  Father^  befides   fignifying  the  firft 
perfon  of  the  Trinity,  as  they  fpeak,  does 
alfo  (land  for  the  divine  elTcnce  or  nature, 
comprehending    the  whole  Trinity,    Fa- 
ther,   Son,    and  Holy  Ghofl: ;    and   that 
therefore,  when  Chrift  prays,  or  bids  us 
pray  to  the  Father,  he  is  to  be  underftood, 
of  prayer  to  the  whole  Trinity.    But  what 
a  chain  of  abfurdities  and  contradidiona 
follows  from  fuch  a  fuppofition  ? 

£,  It  would  be  making  our  bleffed  Sa-^ 
viour,  whenever  he  prayed  to  the  Father, 
pray  to  himfelf. 

2.  To  ufe  Bifliop  Pearfon's  words— «*  if 
the  Son  were  included  in  the  Father,  then 
were  the  Son  the  Father  of  himfelf.  JSat- 
pojition  of  the  Creedy  p.  32^     And, 

3.  Dr. 


3.  Dr.  Clarke  (reply  to  Mr.  Nelfon,  p. 
237.)  fliews. another  ftrange  confequence 
of  fuch  a  fuppofition.  *♦  If,  faith  he, 
the  word  Gody  which  always  fignifies  an 
intelligent  and  powerful  agent,  were  ever 
made  ufe  of  in  Scripture  to  fignify  what 
this  learned  author  calls  the  divine  nature^ 
viz.  the  'whole  three  perjons^  who  are  each 
of  them  alfo  in  fcripturc  always  fpoken  of 
as  intelligent  agents;  it  would  follow  un- 
avoidably, that  the  divine  nature  was  a 
fourth  intelligent  agents  diftindt  from,  and 
conftitutedof  thofe  three  intelligent  agents. 
Which  is  the  utmoftconfufion  imaginable.** 

It  is  from  this  confufed  language  con- 
cerning the  Deity,  and  a  worfliip  no  lefs 
confufed  grounded  upon  it,  that  Chriftians 
have  been  charged  with  hoX^xnz,  four  Gods, 

The  four  invocations  2.1  the  beginning  of 
the  litany,  can  but  ill  be  defended  againft 
fuch  a  charge. 

Our  Lord's  apoftles,  as  may  be  prefum- 
ed,  were  far  from  going  contrary  to  their 
divine  Mafter's  pradice  and  diredlions  on 
this  ttioft  important  article  of  wor/hip. 

They  direSl  men  to  pray  to  God  only. 
Romans  xv.  6,  30*  Phil.  i.  3,  4,  6.  CoJ, 
iii.  16,  ij.  EJph.  V.  19,  20,  &c,  &c. 

They 


C     "6    j 

'T%ey  prayed  only  to  Gdd  themfehes^ 
Afts  iv.  24,  3P.  Rom.  i.  8.  xvi.  27.  i 
Tim.  i.  17,  &c.  &c. 

CJjrift's  character      Bat  th^t  language  concern- 

of  Mediator  and  .  n      ^  . 

High-Prieft  ut-  iiig  our  Saviouf  Chrift,  which 
&rMSg  ^^s  apo0}e  Paul  in  particular 
^eobjeaofwor-  makcs  ufe  of,  i.  €.— ftyling 
\n<^)\\Ts\  the  Mediator  y  i  Tinio 
ii.  5.  giving  thanh  and  glory  to  God  through 
him  and  by^him^  Rom.  i.  8,  vii.  25.  Eph. 
ill.  21.  and  above  all,  his  calling  him  our 
high'priejiy  in  allufion  to  the  office  of  the 
Jevvilh  high-prieft,  fo  largely  infiftcd  on 
in  the  epiftle  to  the  Hebrews,  muft  for 
ever  exclude  the  thought  and  pradice  of 
making  him  the  object  of  religious  wor- 
fhip. 

Heb.  iv.  15.  V.  7,  8.  His  peculiar  fit- 
nefs  for  this  office  of  high-prieft  is  dcr 
Icribed,  as  he  was  a  many  tempted  in  all 
points  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  Jin  ^  iv.  15, 
V.  7,  8, 

His  admiffion  into  this  office  at  his  re* 
furreftion,  v.  5. 

And  he  is  now  in  heaven  aftually  fuf- 
taining  that  character,  whatever  it  be, 
miniftcring  to  God,  and  ading  for  us,  iv, 

14. 


[     J27    ] 

14-  ni'  24*  to  the  eod.  viii.  i,  2,  3,  4. 
ix,  n,  17,  &;c.  &c. 

He  cannot  therefore  be  the  God,  to 
whom  prayer  k  to  be  oiFcred,  when  he  is 
the  high-prieft  of  that  God,  hi«  minifter, 
to  appear  in  the  prejence  of  God  for  us^  ix, 
^4. — to  make  inter cejjion  for  us 9  vii.  25. 
What  a  flrange  thing  would  ^t  have 
been  for  the  Jews  to  have  worfhiped 
Aaron  their  high-prieft,  inftead  of  the 
great  Jehovah,  whom  Aaron  ferved  ?  The 
idea  exhibited  to  us  of  our  Redeemer  in 
this  epiftle  is  this,  and  it  is  full  of  con- 
Xolatioo ;  that,  by  his  love  and  friendfliip 
for  us,  joined  to  his  power  and  intercft 
with  God,  and  the  divine  promifes  by 
Jiim,  we  are  encouraged  to  aflc  of  God  in 
prayer  the  fupply  of  all  our  wants ;  and 
are  therefore  exhorted  to  come  boldly  unio 
the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  .may  obtain 
mercy,  and Jind  grace  ^o  help  in  tme  of  need. 
Hebr.  iv-,  16^ 

But  diiFerent  concluiSons  having  beea 
-formed  from  other  parts  of  the  writing* 
.of  the  ^poftles  and  evangeJifls,  and  a  vi^ry 
contrary  pradlice  founded  thereupon  for 
«natty  ages,  we  muft  confider  how  far  it  is 
jeally  warranted  by  them. 

Ada 


t     118    ] 

The  prinqpal       Adts  i.  24.  ^//^  they  pfayed^ 

texts  alledged  j     ,  -  1      cfl  T       J  r-r 

to    authorize  and  Jatd,    Ibou  Lord^    which 
LoT/j.ChrX  ^noweji   the  hearts  of  all  men, 
Jhew  whether  of  thefe  two  th(M 
haji  chofen. 

This  prayer  is  addreffed  to  God,  rfie 
Father,  and  not  to  Chrifl:.  i.  Becaufe  ia 
a  fimilar  paflage  that  follows  foon  after, 
the  fame  apoftles  addrefs  their  prayer  ia 
the  fame  terms  to  God,  the  Father,  Ad:s 
iv.  24,  29.  '*  Lordy  thou  art  God — and 
now,  Lordf  behold  their  threatenings, 
and  grant  unto  thy  fervants,  that  with  all 
boldnefs  they  may  fpeak  thy  word/'  2, 
For  the  reafon  given  by  Grotius  upon  the 
place,  who  quotes  Jeremiah  xvii.  10.  "I 
the  Lord  fearch  the  heart ;"  and  obferves, 
that  it  is  the  prerogative  of  God  only  to, 
fearch  the  heart  of  man.  It  may  be  faid, 
tiiat,  Rev.  ii.  23.  Chrift  faith  of  himfelf, 
**  I  am  he  which  fearcheth  the  reins  and 
hearts."  But  then,  this  is  a  derived 
power,  as  plainly  appears  from  the  fre- 
quent acknowledgments  of  his  receiving 
every  thing  from  God,  and  particularly, 
Matth.  xxviii.  18.  ^^  h\\  power  is  given  mz 
in  heaven  and  in  earth"  i,  e,  beftowed  upon 

him* 


(       129       ) 

him,  and  intruded  with  hlai,  for  the  go- 
vernment of  his  church,  but  not  furely  to 
ere(ft  him  into  an  equal  objed:  of  worfiiip 
with  God,   who  gave  it  him. 

A6ls  vii.  59.  Our  tranflation  has  infert- 
ed  the  word  God,  when  it  was  not  in  the 
original,  as  is  eafily  perceived  by  its  being 
put  in  italics,  Mr.  Purver  tranflates, 
*'  Thus  they  iloned  Stephen,  who  was 
calling  on  (invoking)  and  faying,  Lord 
Jefus,  receive  my  fpirit!" 

Unqueftionably  Stephen  made  this  re- 
queft,  addrefied  this  prayer  to  the  Lord 
Jefus.  But  this  can  be  no  precedent  for 
directing  prayer  to  him  tinfeen,  or  ad- 
dreffing  him  as  God,  whom  the  bleiTed 
martyr  declares  he  fow  with  his  eyes,  and 
caHs  him,  v.  56.  '*  the  fon  of  man  (land- 
ing on  the  right  hand  of  God;"  calls  him 
the  Son  of  man,  in  that  his  highefl  ftate  of 
exaltation.  Soji  of-  man,  and  God  moji 
high  :   what  afpace  between  ? 

Revelation  i.  5,  6. 

Unto  htm  that  hath  loved  us y  and  wajhed  us 

from,  our  fins  in  his  own  bloody    and  hath 

made  us  kings  andpriefts  unto  God  and  his 

Father  -,    to    him  be  glory   and  dominion 

for  ever  and  ever.     Amen, " 

K  The 


[     130     ] 

The  very  difterent  readings  of  this  dif- 
turbed  paffage  in  the  MSS.  {hew  that  it 
has  fufFered  by  the  negh'gence  of  tranfcri- 
bers,  which  may  eafily  be  obferved  in  Mill, 
and  Wetflein  -,  and  therefore  no  certain 
conclufions  can  be  formed  from  ir. 

*'  Dr.  Mill  obferves  (faith  Dr.  Clarke, 
Scr.  Dod:.  p.  146,  147.)  that,  in  one  an- 
cient Greek  manufcript,  the  words  unto 
him  are  wanting;  the  reading  being,  tS 
dya.TTvicrotvrogKuiX^a'otVTogi  infteadofrrt;  ccya.TT^'' 
cocvTt  %cci  xia-ocvTi :  in  which  cafe  the  doxo- 
logy  will  be,  not  to  Chrift,  but  the  Fa- 
ther ;  and  the  paiTage  would  be  read — » 
**  And  from  Jefas  Chrift,  (who  is  the  faith- 
ful witnefs,  the  firft  begotten  of  the  dead, 
and  the  prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth) 
who  hath  loved  us,  and  waChed  us  from  our 
fins  in  his  own  blood." 

Revelation  v.    13. 
Bleffing  and  honour,  &c.  be  unto  him  that 
Jitteth  on  the  throne^  and  to  the  Lamb,  for 
ever  and  ever. 

This  is  to  be  underftood  in  the  fame  way 
as  Ads  vii.  59.  The  blefling-and  honour 
is  tendered  to  the  objedlprefent  and  vifible: 
and  not  upon  the  throne^  but  {landing  in  the 
midft,   verfe  5.   or  before  the  midft  of  the. 

throne. 


(     131     ) 

throne.  The  reafon  alfo,  which  is  affigned 
for  this  worfliip  being  paid  him,  fliews  he 
cannot  be  an  objeiSl  of  worfhip  equal  to  the 
Supreme  j  namely,  v.  12.  his  being  the 
Lambjlain,  and  therefore  worthy,  i.e.  fpot- 
lefs  innocence,  perfect  virtue  and  goodneff, 
tried  and  confirmed  by  fufFerings, 

The  afcribing^/^ry  and  honour  to  Chrift, 
does  in  no  degree  imply  him  to  be  God,  or 
authorize  the  vvorHiip  of  him,  or  prayer  to 
him.  It  is  no  more  than  a  declaration  of 
our  reverence  of  him,  and  high  efteem  of 
his  moil  perfect  moral  character  and 
goodnefs.  We  may,  therefore,  and  we 
ought  on  all  proper  occafions  to  join  with 
his  apoftle  in  faying,  2  Peter  iii.  18.  **  21? 
him  he  glory  both  now  and  for  ever. 

\  Tim.  i,   12. 
1  thank  CJiriJl  Jefus  our  Lord^  who  hath  en- 
abled me  ^'  for  that  he  counted  me  fait  hful^ 
putting  me  into  the  minifij. 
This  is    no  addrefs  of  thanks   to  Chrift 
as  an  objed:  of  wor&ip,  but  a  fjdden  emo- 
tion of  gratitude  in  the  apoille's  mind,   and 
expretTun  of  his  thankfjlnefs  to  Chrift  for 
his  own  miraculous  converfion  (AcSs  ix.), 
and  call  to  be  an  apoftle, 

K  2  I  Co- 


(     132     ) 

2  Corinth,  i.  3.  Rom.  i\  7. 

Grace  to  you^  and  peace  from  God  our  Fa- 
ther^  and  the  Lord  Jefus  Clirift, 

1  ThefT.  iii.  1 1.  Now  God  Iwnfelf  even  our 
Father^  and  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrijl^  dircB 
our  way  unto  you.    2  Theff.  ii."  16. 

Thefe,  and  other  the  like  palTages^  arc 
only  pious  wifhes,  not  prayers.  That  this  is 
the  true  interpretation,  and  not  mere  afler- 
tion,  appears  from  Rev.  i.  4.  Otherwife  it 
may  as  well  be  faid,  that  the  writer  prays 
to  xhcfeven  fpirits  there  named,  which  are 
afterwards  in  the  fame  book,  v.  6.  called 
the  Lamb's  eyes^  i.  e.  Chrifl's  angels,  meffen- 
^vs^fent  forth  into  all  the  earth. 

2  Cor.  xii.  8.  For  this  thing  I  befought  the 
Lord  thrice^  that  it  might  depart  from  mc. 

St.  Paul  appears  here  to  have  diredled  bis 
prayer  to  God,  the  Father ;  and  to  have  had 
in  his-  thoughts,  and  imitated  our  Lord's 
prayer  in  the  garden,  the  night  before  his 
fufferings,  when  he  prayed  three  times  to 
God,  that,  if  it  pleafed  him,  the  cup  of  af- 
ilidion  might  pafs  away  from  him,  with- 
out his  drinking  it.  Beaufobre  on  the 
plate. 

KB. 


(     '33     ) 

A^.  S.  The  apoflles  were  not  fo  exadl  in 
the  ufe  of  the  words,  Lor/^,  Saviour,  and 
the  like,  which  they  indifferently  gave  both 
to  God  and  to  Chrift  ;  never  fuppofing  that 
any  would  miftake  their  Lord  and  mafter, 
fo  lately  born  and  living  amongft  men,  to 
be  the  fupreme  God,  and  cbjedl  of  worfhip. 
Dr.  Hamnaond  thus  paraphrafes,  *' and  I 
eaFneftlyj^r^j^W/(?G^^tobedeliveredfromit/' 

I  Corinth,  i.  2.   IVit/i  all  that  in  every  place 

call  upon  the  name  of  "J  ejus  Chriji  our  Lord. 

Dr.  Hammond  rightly  obferves,  that  it 
iliould  be  tranflated — ''  With  all  them  that 
are  called  by  the  name  of  ourLordJefusCbrift. 

**  In  the  ftyle  of  fcripture,  to  be  called  by 
the  name  of  any  one,  cr  to  have  the  name  of 
any  one  called  upon  it,  fignifies  to  belong,  to 
be  the  property,  or  to  be  in  fubjedion  to 
that,  whofe  name  is  called  upon  the  other.'* 
Daubuz  onB^ev,  p.  130. 

But  fee  in  Dr.  Clarke  {Scr.  Do5t.  No, 
691.)  an  enumeration  of  the  various  fenfes 
in  which  this  phrafe  calling  on  the  name  of 
Chrift,  and  fome  like  it,  are  ufed  ;  among 
which  there  is  none  that  implies  diredtly 
invoking  him,  but  A6ls  vii.  59.  which  has 
been  confidered. 

K  3  Rev. 


(     i34    ) 

Rev.  xxii.  20.    Come.^  Lordjefus  ! 
Thefe  words  are   only  the   reply  of  the 
apoftle,  addreffed  to  the  Lord  Jefus  prefent 
with  him  in  the  vifion ;  who  had  faid  imme- 
diately before,  **  I  come  quickly." 

Matth.  xviii.  20. 

Fcr  where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together 

in  my  name-^  there  am  I  in  the  midji  of  them. 

It  may  be  proper  to  take  notice  of 
this  text,  though  out  of  its  courfe,  left  we 
(hould  pafs  by  any  thing  of  conftquence  on 
the  argument. 

The  following  feems  to  be  a  valuable 
explication  of  it. 

*^  If  we  confider  the  whole  of  this  paffage, 
in  which  our  Lord  is  fpeaking  of  the  great 
povi^er  of  which  his  apoftles  fliould  be  pof- 
feffed,  and  efp^cially  of  the  efficacy  of  their 
prayers,  we  fhall  be  fatisfied,  that  he  could 
only  mean  by  this  form  of  expreffion,  to  re- 
prefent  their  power  with  God,  when  they 
were  affembled  as  his  difciplcs,  and  prayed 
as  became  his  difciplcs,  to  be  the  fame  as  his 
own  power  with  God  -,  and  God  heard  him 
always.  That  our  Lord  could  not  intend  to 
fpeak  of  himfelf  as  the  God  who  heareth 
prayer,  is  evident  from  his  fpeaking  of  the 

Father 
6 


(     ^25    ) 

Father  in  this  very  place,  as  the  perfon  who 
was  to  grant  their  petitions."  ver,  19*. 

Le  Clerc,  in  his  harmony,  feems  to  have 
hadfomewhatof  the  like  thought.  '^  Where 
two  or  three,"  &c.  **  it  will  be  the  fame 
as  if  I  was  amongft  them,  and  praying  to 
X5od  along  with  them  "f-." 

MeJanBhon,  in  a  letter  to  Camerarius,  in 
1532,  after  a  predidlion  which  hath  iince 
been  but  too  much  verified,  of  the  difputes 
and  difturbances  that  would  arifefome  time 
or  other  about  the  Trinity,  thus  concludes 
iipon  the  fubjecfl;  **  I  take  refuge  in  thofe 
plain  declarations  offcripture,  which  injoin 
prayer  to  Chrift,  which  is  to  afcribe  the 
proper  honour  of  divinity  to  him,  and  is 
fttll  of  confolation  J." 

^  Familiar  Illuflrations  of  certain  pafTages  offcrip- 
ture—  printed  for  Johnfon,  Paul's  Church-yard, 
1772,  p.  26,  27. 

"f  ipfe  inter  eos  eire,  et  Deum  conjun^litn 

cum  iis  orare  cenfebor.     Cler'ui  hann,  evangel. 

X  *'  Ego  me  refcro  ad  illas  fcripturas  voces,  quas 
jubent  invocare  Chriftum,  quod  ell:  ei  honorem  divi- 
iiitatis  tribuere,  et  plenum  confolationis  eft." 

Benfons  account  of  Serveius^    p.  165,  note. 

K  4  •     ^  Obferve 


(     '36     ) 

Obfei've  here,  ift,  that  this  eminent  pcr- 
fon  thought,  and  jaftly  as  it  (hould  feem, 
that  prayer  is  the  higheft;  a£t  of  worfliip, 
the  proper  honour  of  God,  and  peculiar  to 
him  alone.  And,'2.  that  the  principal  argu- 
ment for  Chrift  s  divinity  was  to  be  fetched 
from  religious  worfliip  and  prayer  being  ad- 
d re iTcd  to  hirr\  If  there  be  therefore  no 
authority  for  the  latter,  as  we  have  fhewn 
there  is  not,  the  other  falleth  of  courfe. 

But  one  argument  of  another  kind  is  to 
be  confidered. 
Of  chrift's  high  That  the  Lord  Jefus  is 

power  and  autho-   •  .  n      i        •   t  •     i 

rityasa  ground  of  mtrulted  With  a  mighty  ex- 
^  teniive  power  and  dommion 

for  the  good  of  his  church  and  people,  is 
plainly  and  exprefsly  revealed  to  us.  Matth. 
xxviii.  i8,  2C.  John  xiv.  14.  Eph.i.  22.23. 
I  Cor.  XV.  24.    Philip,  ii.  9,  ic.  &c.  &c. 

How  and  in  what  manner  he  exercifeth 
this  power  is  wholly  unrevealed,  and  there- 
fore unfearchable  by  us,  as  much  as  the  way 
and  manner  of  God's  providence,  under 
which  ChriH:  ad:eth,  and  which  fuperin- 
tends  and  over-rules  all  thing?. 

To  many,  however,  this  high  truft  from 
God,   and  vaft  power  and  dominion  have 

feemed 


(     J37     ) 

feemed  fufficient  to  warrant  prayer  to  the 
Lord  Jefus,  although  he  be  not  the  fupreme 
God.  But  this  ground  of  invocation  feems 
over-turned, 

1.  By  v/hat  hath  been  above  (hewn,  that 
Chrift  diredied  prayer  to  be  made  only  to 
God,  the  Father,  and  forbad  it  to  himfelf. 

2.  There  is  no  authority  for  it  in  the 
writings  of  the  apoftles. 

3.  It  is  fetiing  up  an  inferior  objedt  of 
worlhip  without  warrant,  v^hen  God  in- 
vites and  commands  us  to  addrefs  ourfelves 
upon  all  occafions  immediately  to  himfelf, 
and  he  is  able  to  do  more  abundantly  for  us 
than  any  other  being,  though  ever  fo  great 
and  perfed:. 

4.  It  is  deftroying  the  proper  office  of 
Chrift  as  mediator,  high  prieft,  and  inter- 
ceflbr. 

5.  It.diftrafts  the  mind  of  the  worfhiper, 
who  will  be  in  doubt  and  uncertainty,  when 
to  pray  to  God,  when  to  Chrift,  when  it  is 
right,  when  amifs  to  do  it :  a  ftate  of  mind, 
furely,  that  ought  to  have  no  place  in  fo 
important  a  duty. 

Love,  honour,  reverence,  duty,  confi- 
dence,   gratitude,   and  obedience  are,  and 

will 


r  ^38  ) 

will  be  certainly  for  ever  due  from  us  of 
mankind,  to  the  Lord  Jefus  for  his  immenfe 
love  to  us,  and  on  account  of  his  perfedl 
holincfs,  excellency,  power,  dignity,  and 
dominion  :  but  religious  woffhip  is  the  in- 
communicable honour  and  prerogative  of 
God  alone. 

Some  of  the  iirft  Socinians  maintained, 
that  Chrift,  although  no  more  than  a  maa 
invefted  with  divine  powers,  was  to  be 
prayed  to  and  worfhiped.  And  there  is  ex- 
tant a  difpute  on  the  fubjedt  between  F» 
Socinus  himfeif,  and  Fra?2cis  Davides,  fuper- 
intendant  of  the  Socinian  churches  in  Trail'- 
jylvania^  who  oppofed  the  invocation  of 
Chrift.  The  latter  died  in  prifon,  in  con- 
fequence  of  this  opinion  of  his,  and  fome  of- 
fence taken  at  his  indifcreet  propagation  of 
it  from  the  pulpit.  I  wiih  I  could  fay,  that 
Socinus  or  his  friend  Blandratdy  had  done 
all  in  their  power  to  prevent  his  commit- 
ment, or  procure  his  releafe  afterwards  *. 

*  The  following  little  hiftory  of  a  contrary  beha- 
viour, being  not  commonly  known,  and  fhewing  the 
excellent  perfon  to  whom  it  relates  in  a  moft  amiable 
point  of  view,  will  be  acceptable  to  fomc.  "  Dr. 
Clarke^  afhort  time  before  his  death,  began  his  folici- 

tations 


{     ^39     ) 

Moflieim  has  fome  remarks  on  this  dif- 
putc,  which  it  is  but  fair  to  produce,  and 
they  will  not  take  us  out  of  our  way.  *"'  Ic 
is  worthy  of  obfervation,  that  the  motive 
which  efigaged  Sochins  and  his  friends  to 
befiow  io  rA'jch  pains  and  labour  in  the 
fuppreilion  of  this  faction,  was  not  a  perfua- 
fion  of  the  pernicious  itriQ^ncy  of  its  doc- 
trines, or  peculiar  notions.  On  the  con- 
trary, Socinus  himfelf  acknowledges,  that 
this  eontroverfy  turns  upon  matters  of  very 
little  importance,  by  declaring  it  as  his  opi- 
nion, that  praying  or  offering  up  divine 
worihip  to  Chrift  is  not  neceffary  to  falva- 
tion.  Thus,  in  his  anfwer  to  Wiijecky  he 
cxprefTes  himfelf  in  the  following  manner  : 

tations  at  court  for  the  releafement  of  Mr.  Wooljlon^ 
declaring  that  he  did  not  undertake  it  as  an  approver 
of  his  dodlrines,  but  as  an  advocate  for  that  liberty 
vi'hich  he"had  through  his  life  defended.  He  looked 
on  Mr.  Wooljlon  as  one  under  perfecution  for  reli- 
gion, which  he  thought  inconfiftent  with  the  liber- 
ties of  England,  and  the  docl:rines  of  Chriftianity  : 
And  on  this  laudable  principle  Dr.  Clarke  folicited 
the  relief  of  the  opprefled,  hut  was  hindered  from 
proceeding  in  his^virtuous  defign  by  death,  foon  af- 
ter Mr.  JVoolfion's  commitment." — Life  of  Mr. 
IFoooI/Icn^  p.  i8. 

The 


{     HO     ) 

The  Chrijiian^  whofe  faith  is  fo  great  as  to 
encourage  him  to  inake  his  addrejjes  habitual- 
ly  and  directly  to  the  Supreme  Bei?2gy  and 
who  ftandeth  not  in  need  of  the  comfort  that 
flows  fro?7i  the  invocation  of  Chriji  his  brc- 
iher^  "who  was  tempted  in  all  things  like  as 
he  is^  that  Chriftian  is  not  obliged  to  call  upon 
the  name  of  fefus  by  prayer  orfupplication. 
According  therefore  to  the  opinion  of  6*^- 
cinus,  thofe  who  lay  alide  all  regard  to 
Chrift  as  an  interceffor  *,  and  addrefs 
themfelves  diredly  to  God  alone,  have  a 
greater  meafure  of  faith  than  others.  But 
if  this  be  fo,  why  did  he  oppofe  with  fuch 
vehemence  and  animofity  the  fentinient  of 
Davides,  who  in  efted:  did  no  more  than 
exhort  all  Chriftians  to  addrefs  themfelves 
diredly  and  immediately  to  the  Father, 
From  all  this  then  it  appears  manifeft,  that 
Socinus  and  his  followers  were  more  artful 

*  Seldom  is  it  that  we  can  fairly  reprefent  the 
opinions  of  thofe  who  differ  from  us  on  religious 
points.  Unlefs  Chrift's  making  Inter cejfion  for  us,  be 
Jlrangely  fuppofed  to  authorize  and  encourge  prayer 
to  him,  certainly  Socinus  did  the  more  cftablifh 
Chrift's  charader  as  Interccjfor^  by  recommending  and 
preferring  prayer  that  was  made  to  God  alone. 

7  than 


-     (     HI     ) 

than  ingenuous  in  their  proceedings  with 
refped:  to  Davides.  They  perfecuted  him 
and  his  follov^ers,  left,  by  tolerating  his 
dodrine,  they  fhould  increafe  the  odium 
under  which  they  lay,  and  draw  upon 
themfelves  anew  the  refentment  of  other 
Chriftian  churches,  while  in  their  private 
judgment  they  looked  upon  this  very  doc- 
trine, and  its  profeflbrs,  as  worthy  of  tole- 
ration and  indulgence  *." 

Archbifhop  Tennifon's  reproof  of  thefe 
elder  Socinians,  for  their  inconfiftency  in 
holding  fuch  a  doftrine  as  this  of  praying 
to  Chrift,  whom  they  took  to  be  only  a  man 
indued  with  divinepower,  is  very  obfervable^ 
and  points  out  the  wrongnefs  of  praying  to 
him  at  all,  if  he  be  not  the  fupreme  God. 

*'  To  fay  that  Chrift  is  a  creature,  yet 
made  fuch  a  God  who,  can  hear  all  prayers, 
fupply  all  wants,  give  all  graces  needful  to 
his  body  the  church,  know  all  the  fecrets 
of  all  thoughts  not  direded  to  him,  govern 
and  judge  with  wifdom  all  the  world,  and 
to  worfhip  him  under  this  divine  notion  ,- 
what  is  it  elfe  than  paying  an  homage  to  a 

♦  Molheim,  vol.  iv,  p,  200— note. 

pre- 


(        142       ) 

prefumed  creature,  which  is  due  only  to  the 
One  very  God  !  For  what  apprehenfions 
greater  than  thefe  do  we  entertain  concern-* 
ing  the  true  God,  when  we  call  upon  hioi, 
confide  in  him,  or  revere  him  *  ?" 

The  opinion  and  praftice  of  the  ancient 
Chriftians,  before  the  council  of  Nice,   has 
been  often  (liewn  from  their  writings,  and 
will  hereafter  be  pointed  out.     But  I  can- 
not better  clofe  this  head,  than  v/ith  a  paf- 
fage  out  oi  Origen  de  Orat*   p.  4^.  which  I 
remember  not  to  have  feen  cited  by  any  one. 
"  But  if  we  wGiiid  learn-i  fays  that  excel- 
lent per  fon,    what  prayer  is^   we  muji   take 
care  not  to  pray  to  any  creature^  no  ?zot  even 
to  Chrijl  himfelf',  but  to  the  God  and  Father 
of  the  Univerfe  alone :    to   whom  this  Our 
Saviour  himfef  offered  up  his  prayers^   as  we 
have  fiewn  before ')  and  alfo  teacheth  us  to, 
offer  up  oursy  for  being  once  ajked,   teach  us 
to  pray,   (Luke  xi.  i.)   he  teacheth  not  to 
pray  to  himfef^   but   to  the  Father^  faying^ 
Our  Father  who  art  in  heaven-^  &c." 
Religious  wofdiip        I  find  not  any  example  of 

to  be  paid  to  Go<^  i        \^    \      r>\    -  a. 

theFather,andnot  praycr  to  the  Holy  Goolt,  or 
to  the  Holy  Ghoji.     j^^j^,  ^^\nx^  as  the  third  per- 

*  Tenn-ifon  of  idolatry,  chap  ix.  p.  jj'4. 

fon 


'(     H3     ) 

fon  in  the  Trinity,  as  it  is  called,  either  in 
thefcriptures  of  the  Old  orNew  Tcflament; 
or  any  countenance  given  to  fuch  a  pradice. 
But  it  is  moft  Angular  nd  remarkable, 
that  St.  PauFs  epiftles  in  particular,  and 
thofe  of  the  other  apoftles,  commonly  be- 
gin with  devout  wiflies  oi bkJJingsjromGody 
and  from  the  Lordjefus  Chrijl-,  but  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  never  named  at  all  at  fuch  times  : 
as  in  the  following  inftances :   Rom.  i.  7. 

1  Cor.  i.  3.  2  Cor.  i.  2.  Gal.  i.  3,  Eph.  i. 
2.    Phil.  f.  2.    CclofT.  i.  2.     I  Their,  i.    I. 

2  Theff.  i.  I.  I  Tim.  i.  2.  2  Tim.  i.  2, 
Tit.  i.  4.  Philem.  i.  3.  2  Pet.  i.  2.  2  John 
i.  3.  It  is  alfo  farther  to  be  noted,  that  in 
the  Revelation  of  St.  John,  where  we  have 
feveral  reprefentations.of  the  worfhip  paid 
by  the  Chriflian  church,  and  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  heavenly  world,  we  have  no 
mention  there  made  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as 
a  diftindl  agent,  perfon,  or  ohjed  of  wor- 
iliip,  br.t  the  whole  is  dir^ectcd  to  God, 
with  hle/fing  a?id honour,  &c.  to  the  lamb  that 
*wasjlainy    v.  J2. 

Thefe  omifTions  muft  firike  a  ferious  ob- 
ftrver.  They  had  fuch  an  effcd:  upon  one  per- 
fon, as  to  convince  him  of  the  utter  wrongnefs 
of  the  received  dodrine  concerning  the  Holy 

Spirit, 


(     H4    ) 

Spirit.  *'  It  cannot  be,  faid  he,  if  the  Holy 
Spirit  be  a  perfon,  and  God  equal  to  the 
Father,  that  he  (hould  be  thus  pafied  by,  and 
left  out  unnoticed  by  the  apofllcs  of  Jefus." 

**  The  only  text  that  can  be  faid  diredly 
to  favour  prayer  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  2  Cor. 
xiii.  8.  the  communion  of  the  Holy  Ghoji  be 
with  you  all.  But  to  what  hath  been  above 
fuggefted  concerning  this  Xt^x^  I  take  the 
liberty  to  add  v^hat  is  faid  by  an  able  wri- 
ter, in  anfwer  to  one  who  bad  brought  this 
as  a  proof  of  prayer  being  made  to  the 
Holy  Ghoft. 

**  The  text  contains  but  a  pious  wifli  of 
fpiritual  gifts;  and  it  may  as  well  be  faid, 
when  St.  Paul  writes,  Col.  iv.  18.  Hebr. 
xiii.  25.  Grace  he  with  you  ally  that  it  is  a 
prayer  made  to  Grace.  And  therefore,  if 
the  Holy  Ghoft  never  be  called  God-,  be 
never  prayed  to  in  fcripture;  if  we  are  never 
called  ihtfervantSy  nor  churchy  nor  kii'ig^ 
dom^  nor  people  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  if  never 
required  to  pray,  nor  give  thanks,  nor  praife 
to  the  Holy  Spirit  (but  to  God,  for  and  by 
his  Spirit)  and  only  are  bid  to  be  guided  by, 
and  not  to  quench,  nor  grieve  the  Spirit ; 
as  may  be  faid  aUb  of  our  own  confcience  : 

if 


(     H5    ) 

if  fo,  then  what  ground  is  there  for  al). 
inferences  of  prayer  and  giving  thanks  :cr 
alt  to  the  Holy  Ghofty  and  joining  him  with 
the  Father  in  all  our  devct'*<^ns  ?  If  any 
fuch  things  might  juftly  be  inferred  from 
Chrlftian  priocipleis,  far'elv  the  apofilcs  were 
as  much  concerned  as  any  to  make  fach  in- 
ferences, and  to  have  put  them  in  pra<5lise 
for  our  imitation  *." 

The  pradlice  of  Chriftims  for  a  long 
time  was  in  ftrid:  conformity  with  the  holy 
fcriptiires  on  this  point.  We  do  not  findj 
thdt  the  Holy  Ghoji  was  admitted  into  the 
Chriftian  church,  as  a  feparate  and  diftindt 
perfott  of  the  Deity,  until  after  feme  ages 
had  pafled  over.  Not  in  the  year  325,  at 
the  time  of  compoiing  the  Nicene  creed  : 
•for  that  part  [the  Lord  and  giver  of  life,  whi> 
proceedethfrom  the  Father -^  who  with  the  Fa^ 
ther  and  the  Son  together  is  worfiipped  and 
glorifedy  who  f pake  by  the  prophets)  wKioh 
we  have  now  adopted  into  the  Nicene  creed, 
was  not  originally  in  it,  but  an  addition 
made  to  it  at  the  latter  end  of  the  fourth 

*   Em]yn,'voI.  ii.  p.  447,  448. 

L  ^     century. 


[     146     ] 

century,  at  the  fecond  council  of  Conftan- 
linople  -f. 

Some  would  account  for  this  general  fi- 
lence  of  the  early  fathers,  by  alleging,  that 
the  diftindl  Deity  of  the  Holy  Spirit  waS 
not  oppofed  before  the  time  of  Macedonius, 
on  whofe  account  the  council  at  Conftanti- 
nople  was  beld>  and  therefore  not  particu- 
larly fpecified.  The  real  truth  is,  it  was  ne- 
ver in  their  thought?.  They  had  hitherto 
fatisfied  themfelves  with  the  plain  language 
and  dodtrine  of  the  fcripture  itfelf,  which 
we  have  feen  does  not  favour  fuch  a  ftrange 
worfliip.  **  And  what  is  a  farther  proof  of 
this,  the  ancient  father?,  when  they  men- 
tion the  objedions  of  the  heathens  on  this 
fubjed!,  (viz.  of  Chriftians  holding  more 
Gods  than  One)  do  not  fpeak  of  them  as  le- 

f  This  addition  to  theNicene  creed,  made  at  the 
fecond  general  council  of  Conilantinople,  was  con- 
firmed by  that  of  Ephcfus  which  followed,  when  it 
was  decreed  unlawful  to  make  any  additions  to  it. 
And  yet,  not  long  after,  Pope  Nicholas  the  firft  add- 
ed and  the  Son,  (fo  that  the  creed  became  as  we  now 
j?ead  it,  who  proceedeth  from  the  Father  and  the  Son) 
which  Vv'SLS  the  caulc  of  Ichifm  betwixt  the  Greek  and 
Latin  church,  which  continues  to  our  time.— /*^^r- 
fon  on  the  crtcd^  note,  p.  325,  3z6. 

veiled 


(     147     ) 

Veiled  againfl  the  notion  oi  three  Gods,  but 
of  two  only  ;  whereas,  if  the  notion  of  the 
divinity  of  the  Holy  Ghoji  had  been  then 
fafliionable,  they  would  have  aiade  the  fame 
objedion  as  is  now  niade  by  Jews  and  Mo* 
hammedans  ;  not  againfl:  two  Gods,  but 
againfl  three'' 

**  I  lliall  only  quote  LaElantius,  InfJ^.  1.  iv. 
c,  xxix.  **  Here  fome  may  perhaps  a{k, 
how  the  Chriftians  profefs  to  wcrfhip  but 
One  God,  yet  we  feem  to  believe  and  hold 
two  Gods,  God  the  Father,  and  God  the 
Son.  This  dcdirine  hath  been  a  great 
ftumbling-block  to  many,  who  confefs,  that 
in  other  points  of  dodrine  we  fpeak  what 
is  probable,  and  fit  to  be  embraced;  but  in 
this  they  think  weftumble,  that  we  hold  a 
Jecond  God,  and  hitii  alfo  a  mortal  one,  as 
one  who  could  die  *." 

The  Unitarian  dodrine  therefore  is  no  no- 
velty ;  namely,  that  religious  worjhip  is  to  be 
addrejjed  only  to  the  One  true  God^  the  Father, 

*  Ben  Mordccai — letter  I.  note^  p.  107.  where,  and 
alfo  throughout  the  v.'hole  work,  may  be  found  a  great 
deal  of  important  information  concerning  this  point, 
and  the  fubject  of  thefe  papeis. 

L  2  For 


(     148     ) 

For  It  was  the  dodrine  our  bleffed  Sa- 
viour taught,  and  always  pradifed  ;  and  his? 
apoftles  after  him  :  and  it  was  alfo  the  uni- 
verfal  pradlice  of  the  Chriftian  church,  with 
little  or  no  variation,^^  for  the  firft  three  cen- 
turies. 

Mo?2/,  Jurieu  faw  this,  and  fairly  owned 
it;  but  then  he  maintained,  in  his  fixth  pa- 
floral  letter,  that  the  myftery  of  a  Trifiity  of 
per  Jons  in  the  fame  ejfence,  was  not  under- 
flood  or  fully  explained,  till  the  two  coun- 
cils of  Nice  and  Conftantinople  had  mould- 
ed it  into  its  right  fhape  and  form,  and  fet- 
tled it,  towards  the  end  of  thefourth  centu- 
ry. This,  however,  is  a  method  of  defend- 
ing this  dodrine  which  few  will  openly  a- 
dopt,  as  it  muft  deprive  them  of  the  affift- 
ance  of  the  whole  lift  of  the  primitive  Fa- 
thers :  and  yet  it  is  an  unqueftionable  faft, 
that  they  were  utterly  unacquainted  with  it. 

The  learned  Biiliop  Bull's  fentiments  on 
this  point  will  have  weight  with  thofe  who 
know  that  his  prejudices  leaned  another 
way.  And  he  confeffes, 
.  **  In  the7?r/?  and  beji  ages,  the  churches 
of  Chrift  directed  all  their  prayer s^  according 

t(^ 


(     149      ) 

iothefcriptiire,  to  Godojily,  thro'  the  alone 
mediation  of  Jefus  Chn^S .^Bijldop  Bull's 
anfwer  to  the  Bifiop  of  Meaux\ 

And,  in  another  place;  **  It  is  to  be  ob- 
ferved,  that  in  the  Clementine  liturgy,  (fo 
called,)  which  is  by  the  learned,  on  all 
hands,  confeffed  to  be  very  ancient,  and  to 
contain  the  order  of  worfhip  obferved  in  the 
churches  before  the  times  of  Conftantine ; 
— /?//  the  prayers  are  directed  to  Gody  in  the 
name  of  his  Son  Jefus  Chrift." — Btjhop 
BulPs  difcourfe  concerning  the  exijlence  and 
nature  of  angels  *. 

It  was  a  great  unhappinefs  and  overfight, 
that  when  our  forefathers  fhook  off  the 
yoke  of  the  Bifllop  of  Rome,  they  retained 
fo  much  of  the  Roman  ritual,  its  creeds, 
*and  forms  of  worfliip;  and  that,  as  the  com- 
pilers of  the  liturgy,  in  the  office  for  ordain- 
ing priefts,  exhort  continually  to  pray  to  God 
the  Father^  by  the  mediation  of  our  only  Sa- 
viour Jefus  Chrijiyfor  the  heavenly  afjiftance 
of  the  Holy  Ghoji -,  that,  this  diredion  of 
worfhip  to  its  proper  objed:,  was  not  uni- 

*  Dr.  Clarke — Scrip,  DoSf,  p.  435. 

L  3  ^       verfally 


(     150    ) 

verfally   adhered    to  by   themfelves,   as  it 
ought  to  have  been. 

The  litanyy  more  than  any  other  of  the 
offices  of  devotion  in  our  church,  feems  ta 
deviate  mod  widely  from  this  rule  of  Chris- 
tian worfhip,  and  to  require  a  total  refor- 
mation.    For  in  this, 

1.  Gody  the  Father  of  heaven,  is  invoked^ 

2.  Then  follow  three  feveral  invocations 
of  God  the  Son^  God  the  Holy  Ghoji,  and  the 
Holy  Trmity.  All  three  direcftly  contrary 
to  what  Bifliop  Bull  above  declares  to  have 
been  the  pradice  of  the  church  in  the  firft 
and  beft  ages,  and  the  rule  of  the  holy  fcrip^ 
tures. 

3.  Next  follow  feveral  addreffles  to  Chrift 
hy  kimjelf    And  after  that, 

4.  *'  We  finners  do  befeech  thee  to  hear 
us,  O  Lord  Gody'  would  feem  to  be  diredt- 
ed  to  God  the  Father. 

5.  Then,   after  a  certain  fpace,   follow 
many  invocations  of  the  Son,  as  hamb  of 
Gody  Chriji,  Lord,  &cc. 

6.  Then  we  turn  off  all  at  once,  and  ad- 
drefs  ourfelves  to  the  Father, 

•    7.  Thea 


(  IJi  ) 

7.  Then  we  return  again  to  the  Son,  and 
renew  our  addrefs  to  him  in  feveral  invoca- 
tions. 

8.  Prefently  after  we  go  back,  and  fay. 
We  befeech  thee^  0  Father.    And, 

9.  In  the  very  next  addrefs,  as  placed  in 
this  office,  we  refume  our  devotions  once 
more  to  Chrift,  in  the  prayer  of  St.  Chry- 
foftom  *. 

Is  there  any  thing  in  holy  fcripture  to 
countenance  this  variety  of  addrefs,  and 
Shifting  and  changing  from  one  objecfl  of 
worfliip  to  another  ?  Can  this  in  any  fhape 
be  conftrued  into  a  right  worfhip  of  the 
One  infinite  eternal  Af/W,  the  wife  and 
good  Parent  of  the  univerfe? 

*  See  Candid  Difqiiifitions,    p.  324,  325, 


L  4  CHAP. 


(       152       ) 

CHAPTER    IV. 

THt  CAUSES  OF  THE  UNHARPt  DEFIGTIOW,  AMON^ 
CHRISTIANS,  FROM  THE  SIMI^HQITY  OF  RE^Ir 
QIOUS, WORSHIP  PRESCRIBED  IN  THE  SCRIPTURES 

OF   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT. 

RAPID  and  aftonifhing  was  the  pro- 
grefs  and  fuccefs  of  the  gofpel  of  Je  " 
fus,  at  Its  firft  preaching,  in  converting 
multitudes  in  all  countries  of  the  known 
world,  fi'om  idolatry  and  vicious  impure 
pradlices  to  the  acknowledgment  of  the 
One  true  God,  and  a  holy  life  and  conver- 
fation.  But  the  caufe  was  adequate  to  the 
effed:.  The  prefence  of  a  divine  power, 
manifeited  by  frequent  miracles,  which  ac- 
companied the  humble  and  felf-denying 
preachers  of  a  religion  fo  pure  and  rational  ^ 
the  full  alTurance  of  pardon  to  guilty  mor- 
tals, of  being  received  into  the  efpeciai  fa- 
vour and  protedion  of  God,  in  pafling  thro' 
this  fcene  of  trial  and  fuffering,  and  the 
animating  profpedl  of  life  and  immortality 
at  the  clofe  of  it :  thefe  were  motives, which 
indeed  have  now  too  much  loft  their  pov/er, 
by  being  familiar  to  us,   and  therefore  lefs 

regarded. 


(     '53     ) 

regarded,  but  which  could  not  be  refifted 
at  firft  where  men  would  pay  any  sttention, 
and  had  not  loft  all  fobriety  of  mind,  and 
love  of  truth  and  virtue.  The  common 
people,,  and  the  unlearned,  who  had  no  fpe- 
culative  prejudices  to  interfere,  would  rea- 
dily and  naturally  fall  in  with,  and  embrace 
the  belief  and  dodrine  of  the  One  living 
and  merciful  God,  the  common  Creator 
aad  Preferver,  and  of  Jefus,  a  divine  mef- 
fenger,  prophet,  and  faviour,  fent  by  him 
to  men,  in  all  that  purity  and  fimplicity 
with  which  the  apoftles  delivered  it. 

But  the  philofophic  minds  of  others  who 
were  brought  to  believe  in  Chrift,  in  ap  age 
(o  curious  and  inquiiitive  as  that  was,  would 
not  fo  foon  jfhake  off  the  learned  notions 
they  prized  fo  highly,  and  had  acquired 
with  fo  much  ingenious  labour,  but  would 
be  induced  in  fome  fort  to  fafliion  their 
new  religion  by  them.  And  this,  actually 
came  to  pafs.  Science^  fuifelyfo  calledy  as  the? 
apoftle  fpeaks,  i  Tim.  vi.  20.  firft  corrupt- 
M  Cbriftianity,  and  led  men  into  errors  con- 
cerning the  perfjn  and  true  charafter  of 
our  Saviour  Chrift ;  and  the  learned  con- 
verts from  heatbenifm  wqre  they  that  laid 

the 


(    '54    ) 

the  foundation  of  the  NIcene,  Conftantino- 
politan,  and  fcholallic  Trinity,  as  of  many 
other  unfcriptural  do<5trines.  So  that  to 
know  and  to  worftiip  God  aright,  we  have 
only  to  abandon  the  language  and  ideas  of 
a  falfe  philofophy,  and  revert  to  the  pure 
and  fimple  teaching  and  directory  of  the 
word  of  God, 

St.  Paul  faw  thefe  fatal  errors  in  the  bud, 
and  endeavoured  to  warn  men  of  them, 
and  prevent  their  growth.  Coloff.  ii.  8. 
I  Tim.  6.  20.    Adts  xx.  30,  &c. 

But  the  apoftle  John  lived  long  enough 
to  behold  and  lament  the  unhappy  fruits 
that  were  grafted  on  this  bad  ftock.  For 
his  firft  cpiftle,  written  at  a  very  advanced 
age,  is  chiefly  levelled  againft  a  fedl  of  phi- 
lofophic  Chriftians,  which  had  already 
fprung  up  in  Afia  where  he  abode,  who  had 
imported  from  their  philofophy  this  ftrange 
notion,  that  the  Lord  Jefus  was  not  a  man 
in  reality^  but  in  appearance  only,  i.  e.  a 
phantom  3  and  hence  they  had  the  name  of 
AoK'/iraiy  docetaj,  phantafmatici,  phajitomijls. 
Offended  at  the  meannefs  of  our  Saviour's 
birth  and  outward  condition,  and  his  fuf- 
kring  to  death  on  the  infamous  crofs  of 

wood  I 


(    '55    ) 

wood ;  and  full  of  Plato's  fublime  fpecula- 
tions,  or  rather  of  the  Orientalifts,  from 
whom  Plato  had  borrowed  them,  they 
maintained,  that  bendes  the  to  ov,  rccyxSof, 
the  Jelf-exijlent  Beings  f  erf eBly  good,  there 
were  many  emanations  of  intelligences  from 
him  ;  and  the  firfl  and  chief  of  thefe,  voZg^ 
Xoyog,  mind,  reafon,  wifdom,  zfecondGod-, 
and  they  took  the  Lord  Jefus,  whom  the 
apoftles  preached,  the  Son  of  God,  to  be  this 
firft  emanation  from  God,  which  their  phi- 
lofophy  had  taught  them. 


Another  branch  of  their  doftrine  was, 
that  matter  was  in  itfelf  dark,  evil,  impure. 
They  could  not  therefore  allow  that  a  pur« 
emanation  of  Deity,  fach  as  they  prefumed 
Cbrift  to  be,  could  have  any  connection 
with  {o  impure  a  fubftance  as  a  human  ma- 
terial body,  and  fo  they  invented  this  folu- 
tion  of  the  difficulty,  that  he  was  man  in 
appearance  only,  and  iiot  in  reality  *. 

^  Kiflolre  critique  de  Manichee,  et  du  Main* 
cheifme.  Par  M,  de  Beaufobre,  torn.  J.  p.  378, 
379- 

Cotdlier, 


<     ^56     ) 

Cotdier,  in  his  notes  on  the  epiille  of 
Ignatius  to  the  Romans,  p.  24.  well  fays, 
*'  A  man  may  as  fbon  deny  that  the  fun 
fhines  at  bright  noon,  as  that  the  docetas, 
or  phantomift  heretics,  did  not  fpring  up  in 
ihe  very  days  of  the  apollles."  The  good 
old  apoille,  St.  John's  letters  are  pointed 
continually  at  this  innovation  in  the  doc- 
trine of  his  divine  mafter.  *^  Every  fpirit 
that  confefleth  that  "Jefus  Chriji  is  come  in 
the  FleJJdy  is  of  God.  And  every  Spirit  that 
CQtifeJjeth  not  that  "J ejus  ChriJI  is  come  in  the 
fiefid^  is  not  of  God. — For  many  deceivers 
are  entered  into  the  w^orld,  who  confefs  not 
that  Jefus  Chriji  is  come  in  thejiejh.  This 
is  a  deceiver,  and  an  antichrift."  i  John 
iv.  2,  3.  2  John  7.  See  alfo  i  John  iv. 
14,  15.  V.  1.  5,  6,  7.  i.  I.  19,  20,  22. 

This  is  alfo  the  principal  error  combat^ 

s  ed  by  the  apoftolic  fathers.    There  is  a  very 

ftriking  paffage  of  this  fort  in  Ignatius  ep. 

ad.  Trail,  which  I  ihall  quote  in  Archbi* 

Ihop  Wakes  tranflation. 

**  Stop  your  ears,  therefore,  as  often  as 
any  one  fhall  fpeak  contrary  to  Jefus  Chrift, 
of  the  race  of  David,  by  the  Virgin  Mary. 
Who  vi2,s  truly  born,  and  did  eat  and  drink; 

was 


(     ^57    ) 

was  truly  perfecuted  under  Pontius  Pilate  ^ 
was  truly  crucified,  and  dead,  both  the 
.  things  in  heaven,  and  the  things  on  earth, 
and  the  things  under  the  earth,  being  con- 
fcious  of  it.  Who  was  alfo  truly  raifed 
from  the  dead  by  his  Father,  after  the  fame 
manner  as  he  [the  Father]  will  a!fo  raife  us 
up  who  believe  in  him,  by  Chrifl:  Jcfus; 
without  whom  we  have  no  tru^life."  p.  1 51* 

We  cannot  wonder,  that  the  fpirit  of 
this  pious  father,  and  faithful  martyr  of 
Chrifl:,  was  ftirred  up  againft  thofe  dogma- 
tizing fpeculatiils,  who,  by  the  wild  fancies 
of  their  metaphyfical  philofophy,  annihila- 
ted th^  gofpel  and  the  holy  e::anf3ple  of  Jcf- 
'fus,  and  turned  the  whole  into,  a  kind  of 
myftical  fairy  tranfaftion. 

Irenasus  often  confutes  thefe  men,  and 

has  one   whole   chapter   exprefsly    agaijijl 

'  thofe  who  held  Chriffs  appearance  to  have 

been  imaginary  and  not  real,  and  remarks 

that  St.  John,  in  hisepiftle,  wrote  purpofe- 

ly  againll   them,    and    bids  us   beware  of 

them*. 

They 

*  Adverfus   illos    qui    dicunt  Chriflum  putative 
apparuifle.  1.  iii.  c,  xviii. 

The 


(     I5S     ) 

They  ftill  fubfifted  in  the  latter  end  of 
the  fourth  century  ;  for  Aurelius  Pruden- 
tius,  in  his  poem  which  he  calls  Apotheqfisy 
confifting  of  different  pieces  againft  dif- 
ferent forts  of  heretics,  has  one  intitled, 
**  Againft  the  phantomifts,  who  deny 
Chrift  to  have  had  a  real  human  body*/' 

Thofe  very  early  fathers,  Irenaeus  and 
Juftin  Martyr,  although  free  from  any 
thing  bordering  on  fuch  extravagancies, 
did  neverthelefs  contribute  to  bring  into 
Chriftianity  the  Platonic  dodrine  of  2i  fe- 
cond  Gody  which  they  had  learnt  before 
their  converfion  to  faith  ;  as  might  be 
fhewn  by  numerous  inftances  from  their 
writings.       And    Clemens    Alexandrinus, 

The  Manicheans  held  this  do6lrIne  of  Chrift  be- 
ing man  in  appearrnce  only,  which  they  drew  front 
the  fame  fource  of  a  falfe  philofophy.  St.^  Auftin,- 
fpcaking  of  his  own  fentimcnts  concerning  Chrift, 
whiliL  he  was  conne(5led  with  this  {td(^  fays,  "  I 
•was  afraid  of  believing  him  (Chrift)  born  of  the 
fiefli,  left  I  fliould  be  forced  to  believe  him  defiled  by 
the  flefh.  Metuebnm  credere  in  came  natum,  ne 
credere  cogerer  ex  carne  inquinatum. — Conjcjfionimiy 
U  r.  c.  10. 

*  yVdverfus  phantafmaticos  qui  Chriftum  ncgant 
yerum  hominis  corpus  habuiire»—-/'/-«^<f«//7^/'./».  202. 

and 


(     159    ) 

and  Origcn,  as  they  were  the  mod:  learned 
of  all  the  Fathers,  ftill  more  adulterated 
the  fimplicity  of  the  gofpel,  by  this  and 
other  mixtures  of  gentile  philofophy*. 

All  this  while  the  true  dod:rine  concern- 
ing the  One  God,  the  Father,  and  his  Son 
Jefus  Chrift  our  Lord,  was  preferred  pure 
and  uncorrupted  amongft  the  Jewifli  Chrif- 
tian?.  But  their  country  and  nation  being 
laid  wade  and  deftroyed,  firft  by  Vefpafiaix 
and  Titus,  and  ftill  more  by  the  deplorable 
calamities  their  unbelieving  brethren 
brought  upon  themfelves  under  Adrian ; 
and  being  now  poor  and  forlorn,  and  mak- 
ing no  pretenfions  to  iiuman  learning,  they 
were  defpifed  by  the  rich,  and  learned  gen- 

Le  Clerc,  in  his  article  of  Eufebius,  (Bihliotheque 
-univerfelle^  torn,  x.)  has  colleded  feveral  teftimonies 
of  the  high  veneration  of  thcfe  ancient  fathers,  and 
others  after -them,  for  Plato,  and  the  fatisfa(5lion  they 
exprefTed  in  the  agreement  of  his  philofophy  with 
that  of  Chrifl:,  efpecially  on  the  fubjeilof  the  Z-^^^i", 
in  the  beginning  of  St.  John's  gofpel,  which  they 
will  have  to  have  been  the  fame  v/ith  this  phliofo- 
pher*5  dotflrine  abovenientioned.  Whether  there 
was.  fuch  an  agreement  betwixt  the  do6lrine  of 
Chrill  and  philofophy  o{  Piato,  in  this  and  other 
refpe^is,  may  well  be  doubted. 

tile 


(     i6o     1 

tile  Chrlftians,  and  grew  foon  to  be  qiiit^ 
iiegle<fted  by  them. 

1  do  not  mean  thofe  Jewifh  ChrifiianSji 
who  have  been  called  EbionifeSy  and  who* 
held  our  Saviour  Chrift  to  have  been  only 
the  fon  of  Jofeph  and  Mary :  of  vvhom^ 
however^  Juftin  Martyr*  fpeaks  mod  can- 
didly, notwithftanding  this  manifeft  error 
of  theirs^ 

But  I  fpeak  of  x\\o{q  Nazarene  Chrifti- 
ans,  who  believed  our  Lord  to  have  been 
born  of  the  Virgin  Mary  by  the  miraculous 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  v/ho  fpoke  of 
God  and  of  Chrift  in  the  plain  language  of 
the  holy  fcriptures,  and  kept  clofe  to  what 
tfeey  found  therein  revealed,  without  af- 

*  "  Altho'  I  fnall  not  prove  Chrift  to  be  God, 
otherwife  than  by  proving  that  this  is  the  Chrift, 
and  that  it  was  foretold  he  fhould  be  fo*  Yet  will 
it  be  juft,  that  thou  fhouldft  believe  me  deceived  in 
that  one  point,  and  yet  not  deny  that  this  is  the 
Chrift,  though  he  ft  em  to  be  a  inan  horn  of  men^  and 
faid  to  be  chofen  to  be  the  Chrift.  For  there  are 
fbme  friends  of  mine  amongft  us  [Chriftians]  who 
profefs  him  to  be  the  Chrift,  but  affirm  him  to  be  a 
man  born  of  men  :  with  whom,  however,  I  do  not 
agree,  nor  will  any  fo  fpeak  who  are  of  the  fame 
opinion  wiih  me.*'»— 7«/?/«  Martyr^  dial,  ctim  Tryph. 

fecSing 


{    i6i    ) 

feeling  any  philofophic  novelties,  or  being 
wife  above  v;hat  is  there  written. 

When  Mofheim   fays,    vol.    i*    p.   ii8, 
that,   although    the   Nazarenes  and  Ebio- 
nites  are  generally  placed  among  the  fedls 
»    of  the  apoftoHc  age,  they  really  belong  to 
the  fecond  century,  which  was  their  earli- 
eft  appearance  as  a  ftd:  ;  he  fpeaks  what 
was  the  truth,  though  wrongly  underftood 
by  hitn.    For,  indeed,  t/ie  whole  Chrijlian 
church  in  the  apojlolic  age,  made  up  of  yews 
and  Gentiles y  %cas  entirely  Nazarene  or  Vni^ 
tarian\    and  the  Jewifli  believers,  though 
retaining  fome  of  their  Jewifh  rites,  as  they 
did  not  impofe  them  on  others,  gave  no  of- 
fence, nor  caufed  any  feparation  or  divifion. 
The  gentile  Chriftians  were  the  firft  fepa- 
r'atifts  or  fedarics. 

An  anonymous  writer  *  againft  Aftemon, 
about  the  year  200,  bears  thcfe  Jevifti 
Chriftians  this  teftinniony,  tho'  he  would 
invalidate  it  by  the  contrary  on  his  own 
fide,  viz.  that  they  appealed  to  their  ancef- 
tors,  and  to  the  very  apoftles  thernfelves, 
as  holding  and  teaching  the  fame  dc£trine 
concerning  Chrift    which   they    did ;    and 

*  Eufcbius,  hift.  ecclef,  J.  v.  c.  ult. 

M  that 


(       l62       ) 

that  the  truth  of  the  gofpel,  as  they  held 
it,  was  preferved  to  the  time  of  Vid.OF 
Bifhop  of  Rome. 

Thefe  churches  of  Jewlfli  believers  fub- 
fifled  till  the  fifth  centurv,  but  then  funk 
away,  and  we  hear  no  more  of  them.  Our 
countrymen.  Wall,  and  Lardner,  and  many 
learned  foreigners,  have  lamented  this 
coolnefs  of  the  Gentile  Chriftians  towards 
the  Jewifh  believers,  and  their  averfion  io 
all  communion  and  correfpondence  with 
them,  which  St,  Paul  laboured  to  have  kept 
up,  and  had  much  at  heart.  Ro?7h  xi. 
I J — 24.  It  might  have  been  a  means  of 
keeping  the  Gentile  church  fteady  \n  the 
vvorfliip  of  the  one  true  God,  by  the  one 
Mediator,  the  ma7i  Chrijl  J^fus,  i  Tim.  ii- 
5.  and  have  preferved  it  from,  other  griev- 
ous errors,  which  have  fo  much  defaced  and 
nearly  paganized  'the  religion  of  Chrift. 
But" — there  was  to  be  a  falling  away  from 
the  faith,  I  Tim.  iv.  1.  and  God  thought 
not  fit  to  interpofe,  but  to  leave  men  to 
themfelves. 

But  another,  and  a  principal  fource  of 
the  corruptionu  of  the  true  Chriflian  doe- 
trine  and  worfhip;  the  parent  of  the  word 
of  errors,  and  which  ako,  in  the  proportion 

it 


(     i63      ) 

U  prevails,  will  perpetuate  them  for  ever; 
the  caufe  cf  all  the  animofities,  miferies, 
and  bloodflied,  that  have  fo  often,  and  fo 
long  difgraced  the  Chriftian  name: — This 
is  none  other  than  that  monfter^ 

Alonjlrum^    horrendum^   informe^  gens,   cui    lumen 
ademptum — 

human  authority  in  the  church  of  Cbrifl:  ; 
when  man  or  men,  fmgle  or  combined,  with 
or  without  the  permiflion  of  the  civil  magif- 
trate,  have  fet  themfelves  up  for  lords  over 
the  faith  and  confciences  of  other?,  and 
didated  and  prefcribed  to  them,  under 
various  pains  and  difcouragemenls,  what 
they  were  to  believe,  or  profcfs  to  believe, 
concerning  the  revealed  word  and  will  ot 
God>  and  the  v/ay  in  which  they  v^ere  to 
worlhip  him.  The  apoftles  of  our  Lord 
affumed  no  fuch  powers  over  the  irjlnds  of 
men.  They  did  not  require  obedience  to 
any  dodlrine  of  their  o'u:ni  but  only  to  what 
they  themfelves  were  taught  by  Chrift  and 
the  Holy  Spirit. 

But  their    followers   could    not    refrain 

from  fo  unfeemly  an  ambition,  even  whilfb 

they  were  fuffv^ring  under  the  crofs,  and  the 

civil  powers  every  where  turned  againft  them . 

Ma  For 


t     i64    ] 

For,  towards  the  clofe  of  the  fecond 
century,  Victor,  biftiop  of  Rome,  excom- 
municated all  the  churches  of  Afia  for  dif- 
fering with  him  about  keeping  the  time  of 
Eafler  :  and  he  (liewed  the  like  imperious 
behaviour  in  excommunicating  Theodotus, 
a  Jewiih  Chriftian,  for  not  coming  up  to  his 
own  opinion  concerning  Chrift,  which  was 
that  afterwards  called  Arian^  and  happen- 
ed then  and  there  chiefly  to  prevail.  A  ve- 
ry different  temper  of  mind  this  from  what 
Juftin  Martyr  (hewed,  (as  cited  above,)  to- 
wards a  diffcnting  brother,  but  a  few  years 
before* 

But  when  the  emperors  had  embraced 
Chriftianity,  and  great  worldly  privileges 
and  emoluments  became  annexed  to  the 
fafhionable  religious  opinions,  the  intoler- 
ance of  Chriftians  towards  one  another  for 
every  little  difference  would  have  feemed 
ridiculous,  if  it  had  not  been  attended  with 
ferious  confequences  to  the  unhappy  dif- 
fenters.  For  a  long  period,  ecdefiaftical 
hiftory  is  intirely  taken  up  with  accounts 
of  the  bifliops  that  bore  the  rule,  travelling 
about  to  fit  in  councils,  and  decide  upon 
opinions  which  h^d  better  have  been  left 

unde- 


(     165     ) 

undecided,  and  would  fooner  have  died 
away  ;  and  to  excommunicate  and  depofe 
fuch  as  differed  in  opinion  from  them, 
from  whom  they  differed  as  much  them- 
felves,  and  over  whom  they  had  no  power 
but  what  the  civil  magiflratc  gave  them, 
who  had  no  right  to  give  them  any,  or  to 
mokft  their  opponents  fo  long  as  they  de- 
meaned thcmfelves  peaceably  ;  and  which 
power  might,  with  equal  juftice,  have  been 
turned  againfl  thofe  who  thought  them- 
felves  mofl  orthodox,  and  adually  was  fo 
in  the  change  of  time?,  as  the  reigning 
emperor  happened  to  be  Arian  or  Ho- 
mooujian  * 

Lord  B^r<?^fome where  fays  \  ^^  fuch  as 
hold prcjjure  of  confciencc^  are  guided  therein 
by  fome  private  inter efi  of  their  own^'* 
This  is  univerfally  true  of  all  oppreffors  of 
the  confciences  of  others,  in  all  ages  and 
countries.  "  The  prince's  religion  will 
every  where  be  beft  -f-  5   and  that^  hereiy, 

and 

*  Eufebius,  ecclef.  hift.  lib.  v.  c.  28. 

'I"  Mr.  Hume  has  furnifhed  us  with  a  very  fingu- 
lar  inftance  of  the  exertion  and  influence  of  impe- 
rial authority  in  matters  of  religion,  from  our  own 
hiftory. 

M  3  J571.  "  In 


(     i66     ) 

and  to  be  condemned,  which   oppofes  his 
edia?.     The  fanguinary  laws  of  the  Chrif- 

tian 

157 1.  ''  In  the  former  parliament  the  Puritans 
had  introduced  feven  bills  for  a  further  reformation 
in  religion,  but  they  had  not  been  able  to  prevail  i^ 
any  one  of  them.  This  houfe  of  commons  had  fat 
a  very  few  days,  when  Stricland,  a  member,  revived 
one  of  the  bills,  that  for  the  amendment  of  the  litur- 
gy,— Religion  v/as  a  point  of  which  Elizabeth  was, 
ifpofTible,  ftill  more  jealous  than  of  matters  of  ftate. 
She  pretended,  that  in  quality  of  fupreme  head  or 
governor  of  the  church,  ihe  was  fully  empowered, 
by  her  prerogative  alone,  to  decide  all  queftions 
which  might  arife  v/Ith  regard  to  do(5lrine,  difcipline, 
or  worfhip  ;  and  fhe  never  would  allow  her  parlia- 
ments fo  much  as  to  take  thefe  matters  into  confider- 
ation.— The  queen  was  fo  highly  offended  with 
Stricland's  prefumption,  in  moving  the  bill  for  re- 
formation of  the  liturgy,  that  fhe  fent  for  him  to 
the  council,  and  prohibited  him  thenceforth  to  appear 
in  the  houfe  of  commons.  That  a£l  of  power  was 
too  violent  even  for  this  fubmiflive  parliament. 
Carleton  complained  that  the  liberties  of  the  houfe 
were  violated. — Yelverton  enforced  the  principles  of 
liberty  with  ftill  greater  boldnefs. — The  treafurer 
warned  the  houfe  to  be  cautious  in  their  .proceed- 
ings ;  neither  to  venture  further  than  their  alTured 
warrant  might  extend,  nor  hazard  their  good  opinion 
with  her  majefty  in  any  doubtful  caufe.  The  mem- 
ber. 


{     167     ) 

tian  emperors  of  the  Eafl:  and  Weft,  from 
Conftantine  inchijive,  againft  thofe  who  dif- 
fered 

ber,  he  faid,  whom  they  required,  was  not  detained 
on  account  of  any  liberty  of  fpeech,  but  for  the  ex- 
hibiting a  bill  in  the  houfe  againft  the  prerogative  of 
the  queen  ;  a  temerity,  which  was  not  to  be  tole- 
rated. Clecve,  another  member,  remarked,  that 
the  fovereign's  prerogative  is  not  fo  much  as  difput- 
able  :  he  added,  thcit  in  queflions  of  divinity^  every 
man  was,  for  his  injlru^iion^  to  repair  to  his  ordinary  ; 
(ind  he  fcans  to  infmuate  that  the  bifiops  themfelvcs^  for 
their  inJiru5lion^  inuji  repair  to  the  ^leen. 

"  The  Speaker  moved,  that  the  houfe  fhould  make 
a  ftay  of  all  further  proceedings  :  a  motion  which 
was  immediately  complied  v/ith.  The  Queen, 
finding  that  the  experiment  which  fhe  had  made  was 
likely  to  excite  a  great  commotion,  faved  her  ho- 
nour by  the  filence  of  the  houfe  ;  and  that  the 
.queftion  might  no  more  be  refumed,  fhe  fent  next 
day  her  permiiTion  to  Stricland  to  give  his  attendance 
in  parliament.  —  Notwithftanding  this  rebuke  from 
the  throne,  the  zeal  of  the  commons  ftill  engaged 
them  to  continue  the  difcufiion  of  thofe  other  bills 
which  regarded  religion,  but  they  were  interrupted 
by  a  ftill  more  arbitrary  proceeding  of  the  Queen,  in 
which  ,the  Lords  condefcendcd  to  be  her  inftru- 
ment.  That  houfe  fent  a  meilaire  to  the  com- 
mans,  defiring  that- a  committee  might  attend  them. 
Some  mernbers  were  accordingly  appointed  for  that 
M  4  .  purpofe ; 


(    Jits   ) 

fered  in  religious  opinion  from  the  (elk 
which  the  amperor  favoured,  are  fliocking 
to  humanity,  and  would  affedt  us  more, 
were  not  a   violent  diflike  and  prejudice 

purpofe  j  and  the  upper  houfe  informed  them,  that 
the  Queen's  Majefty  being  informed  of  the  articles 
of  reformation  which  they  had  canvafTed,  approved 
of  them,  intended  to  publifii  them,  and  to  make  th^ 
hifiops  execute  them  by  virtue  of  her  regal  authority^  as 
fupreme  head  of  the  church  of  England  -y  but  that  (he 
would  not  permit  them  to  be  treated  of  in  parlia- 
ment/'— Hijlory  of  England^  Svo.  vol,  v.  p.  i8c~ 
184. 

The  times  are  happily  changed  fince  Elizabeth's 
days.  The  commons  houfe  of  parliament,  on  Feb. 
6,  1772,  without  apprehenfion  of  controul  from  our 
gracious  fovcreign,  debated  till  near  the  hour  of  mid- 
night, upon  the  petition  of  the  clergy,  &c.  for  the 
removal  of  fubfcription  to  the  xxxix  articles;  and 
one  may  furcly  aver,  that  another  fuch  day's  debate 
muft  have  carried  the  caufe  for  the  petitioners,  with 
all  reafonable  men. 

And  foon  after  in  that  year,  and  alfo  in  the  prc- 
fent  1773,  the  fame  honourable  houfe,  after  a  ferioqs 
*  and  folemn  argument,  voted  almoft  unanimouf- 
\y  for  relieving  diflenting  minifters  and  fchool- 
mafters  from  the  fame  burden  of  fubfcription  -,  not 
withovit  the  folfcmn  vote,  and  noble  concurrence 
each  time  of  many  of  the  Tempera!  Peers  of  gicat 
name  in  the  upper  houfe. 

grow  a 


i     i69    ) 

grov/n  familiar  to  us  from  fach  bad  precC'- 
dents,  againft  all  thofe  who  dare  to  declare 
their  difjent  from  a  great  and fpkndid  public 
ejlablijlmcnt  of  religion, — What  miferies,  or 
elfe  what  fad  havock  of  confcience  and  in- 
tegrity, muft  that  one  edid:  of  the  emperors 
^  y\rcadius  and  Honorius  have  caufed  in  the 
year  395?  It  runs  thus.  **  Thofe  perfons 
are  comprized  under  the  name  of  heretics^ 
and  ought  to  fuffer  according  to  the  laws 
made  againft  them,  who  (hall  be  difcovered 
to  deviate  a  hair's  breadth  from  the  judg- 
ment and  track  of  the  catholic  religion*," 
that  is,  the  emperor. s  religion^  or,  as  we 
fpeak,  the  religion  of  the  flat e* 

I  (hall  make  no  apology  for  the  follow- 
ing quotation  from  Dr.  Lardner's  remarks 
.  on  the  council  of  Nice. 

**  The  introducing  force  and  authority 
in  matters  of  a  fpecularive  nature  is  fubver- 
five  of  true  religion  and  virtue.  For  what 
avail  human  decifions,  if  they  are  not  fa- 
tisfying?  If  you  can  bring  reafon  and  fcrip- 
tufQ  for  any  dodtrine,  men  will  affent.    But 

■'■'  Sir  Ifaac  Newton's  obfervations  upon  the  Apo- 
calypfe  of  St.  Joini,  p.  300. 

to 


(   170   ) 

to  fay  that  the  bilhops  of  fuch  a  council 
have  fo  declared  and  determined,  is  not 
convincing.  Therefore  it  ought  not  to  be 
jcxpeded,  that  men  fhould  confefs  and  adt, 
as  if  they  were  convinced.  If  you  make 
life  of  any  methods,  befide  thofe  of  rational 
arguments,  to  induce  men  to  profefs  and 
a<5l  as  you  dclire,  you  do  what  lies  in  your 
power  to  make  them  lye  and  prevaricate. 
So  did  this  council  of  Nice. 

•*  This  way  of  ading  may  be  fuppofed 
to  have  been  the  chief  caufe  of  the  ruin  of 
the  Chriftian  intereft  in  the  Eaft.  This, 
a'nd  the  like  determinations  of  fpeculativc 
doftrines,  and  the  violent  methods  by  which 
they  were  enforced,  may  be  reckoned  to 
have  paved  the  way  for  Mahometanifov, 
more  than  any  thing  elfe.  By  thefe  means 
ignorance,  and  hypocrify,  and  tedious  ri- 
tuals, came  to  take  place  of  honefty,  true 
piety,  and  undiflembled  fpiritual  and  rea- 
fonable  worfhip  and  devotion. 

'*  In  about  three  hundred  years  after  the 
afcenfion  of  Jefus,  without  the  aids  of  fe- 
cular  power  or  church  authority,  the  Chrif- 
tian  religion  fpread  over  a  large  part  of 
Afia,  Europe,  and  Africa.    And  at  the  ac- 

ceffion 


(    »7i     ) 

ceflion  of  Conftantinc,  and  convening  the 
council  of  Nice,  it  was  almoft  every  where 
throughout  thofe  countries  in  a  flourifhing 
condition.  In  the  fpace  of  another  three 
hundred  years,  or  a  little  more,  the  purity 
of  the  Chriftian  religion  was  greatly  cor- 
rupted in  a  large  part  of  that  extent,  its 
glory  debafed,  and  its  light  almoft  extin- 
guiflied.  What  can  be  this  fo  much  ow- 
ing to,  as  the  determinations  and  tranfac- 
tions  of  the  council  of  Nice,  and  the  mea- 
fures  then  fet  on  foot,  and  followed  in  fuc- 
ceeding  times  *  ?'* 

*  Lardner's    Credibility,    part  ii.    vol.  vili,    p. 
22—24. 


CHAP. 


(     172     ) 
CHAPTER    V. 

UNION  IN   god's  true   WORSHIP,    HOW   TO  BE  AT- 
TAINED. 

OYNODS  and  councils  have  in  diffcfrent 
^^i»3  ages  been  afiembled  to  promote  this 
union  ^  creeds  and  confeffions  of  faith  have 
been  drawn  up  and  inapofed,  and  forms  of 
worfhip  prefcribed  and  enforced  by  au'-ful 
authority;  but  the  defired  end  hath  not  yet 
been  attained.  In  the  lafl:  century,  Mr. 
Dury,  a  very  pious  good  man,  embarked 
with  the  mod  difinterefted  views,  in  a  de- 
iign  to  unite  all  proteftants  together  in  one 
common  confeffion  of  faith,  and  with  in- 
defatigable labour  travelled  over  Chriften- 
dom  for  near  thirty  years,  to  accomplifli  his 
benevolent  defign. 

His  plan  was,  to  lay  down  certain  fun- 
damental points,  and  to  engage  the  whole 
community  of  proteftants  in  all  countries 
to  accede  to  them,  and  thus  to  form  a 
band  of  amity  amongrt:  them.  In  the  let- 
ters rhat  paffed  *  between  him,  Mr.  Mede, 
and  Mr.  Hartlib,  may  be  feen  how  little 
likelihood  there  was  of  an  union  in  this 

*  Mede's  works,  p.  868,  &c,    ■ 

way. 


(     '73    ) 

way.  They  could  not  agree  upon,  or  fettle 
what  points  were  fundamental.  No  church 
would  renounce  its  peculiarities  and  infal- 
libility. Indeed  fuch  a  method  was  never 
likely  to  fucceed.  What  is  fundamental 
dod:rine  to  one  man,  or  to  a  number  of 
men,  and  fuch  as  they  cannot  give  up,  may 
not  be  fo  to  others,  and  yet  all  be  equally 
fincere  and  upright  before  God,  and  the 
true  difciples  of  Chrift"^'. 

That  is  a  fine  declaration  of  Calvin'«> 
if  he  had  but  kept  to  it  -f.     '*  Since  the 

mind 

*  It  was  upon  this  principle  of  not  laying  down 
fundamental  do(3:rJnes  for  others,  that  the  excellent 
Grotius  withftoodthe  cries  of  herely  and  Socinianifm 
raifed  againft  him  from  all  quarters,  and  refufed  to 
the  laft  to  disfigure  his  noble  work  of  the  Truth  of 
the  Chrtjiian  rcUgloii  with  making  mention  of  the 
Trinity  in  it.  Not  that  he  would  be  underftood  by 
fuch  an  omifTion  to  condemn  that  doctrine,  much 
lefs  thofe  who  held  it ;  but  he  pcrfifted  in  maintain- 
ing, that  it  was  fufficient  to  convince  men  of  the 
divine  authority  of  the  fcriptures,  and  leave  them  to 
themfelves  to  find  out  the  peculiar  dodlrincs  therein 
revealed. — "  Omnes  ad  facras  literas  ducendi  funt, 
ut  inde  talia  hauriant,  qus,  nifi  Deo  femet  patefaci- 
ente,  cognofci  nequeunt.'*—Grj ///<?/>//?.  p.  493,  761. 

f  <'  Cum  in  Dei  majcilate  confiderapda  mens  hu- 
mana  per  fe  omnino  coecutiat'— fi  juxta  captus  fui 


(     '74    J 

mind  of  man  is  totally  blind  of  itfelf  when  it 
contemplates  the  divine  Majefty,  1  truft  I 
fhall  have  the  approbation  of  all  good  men, 
if  I  feek  God  no  where  but  in  his  word, 
think  nothing  of  him  but  according  to  his 
word,  nor  fpeak  of  him  but  by  bis  word."  If 
this  fober  referve  and  reverence  for  the  word 
of  God  be  neccffary  In  the  private  confeffi- 
on  of  a  man'^  faith,  fuch  as  Calvin  was 
then  making,  much  more  ought  it  to  be  ob- 
ferved  in  the  folemn  public  worfhip  of  Al- 
mighty God.  Nothing  of  private  opinion 
or  fancy  fliould  be  there  admitted,  nor  any 
phrafes  or  modes  of  addrefs  ufed, which  have 
not  the  exprefs  warrant  of  holy  fcripture*. 

tenultatem  Deum  imaglnari  conetur:  iftud  bonorutn 
omnium  pace  ac  venia  fadluros  confidlmus,  fi  Deum 
nufquam  quaeramus  nifi  in  ejus  verbo,  nihil  de  ipfcy. 
cogitemus  nifi  cum  ejus  verbo,  de  ipfo  nihil  loqua- 
mur  nifi  per  ejus  verbum." — Cahmi  epijiol,  p.  043.* 
*  "  He  [the  ever  memorable  J.  Hales]  exceed- 
ingly detefted  the  tyranny  of  the  church  of  Rome  j 
more  for  their  impoftng  uncharitably  upon  the  con- 
fciences  of  other  men,  than  for  the  e^'rors  in  theif 
ov^^n  opinions  :  and  he  would  often  fay,  he  wouM 
renounce  the  religion  of  the  church  of  England  to-^ 
morrow,  if  it  obliged  him  to  believe  that  Tiny  other 
Chriflian  Ihould  be  damned;  and,  that  nobody  would 

Gonchuia. 


I     ^7S    ) 

*'  IVe  ought  to  life  no  other  pi^ayers  than 
thofe  which  are  contained  in  the  holy  fcrip" . 
turey  (Gw  thofe  ancient  Chriftians,  the 
Vaisdois,  in  their  confe£io7i  of  faiths  pre- 
fented  to  Francis  I.  1541.)  or  fitch  other 
as  are  conf or  enable  to  them  for  f ub fane  e  *." 

conclude  another  damned,  that  did  not  vvlfh  him  fo, 
—-He  thought  that  pride  and  paflion,  more  than 
confcience,  were  the  caufes  of  all  reparation  from 
each  other's  communion  ;  and  he  frequently  faid, 
that  that  only  kept  the  iv  or  Id  from  agreeing  upon  fuch  a 
liturgy^  as  might  Iring  them  irJo  o?ie  cc?n?nunion ;  all 
doSirinal  pointSri  upon  which  men  differed  in  their  opi- 
iiionsy  being  to  have  no  place  in  any  liturgy. '' — Lord 
Clarendon  s  hijiory  of  his  own  life^    p.  5^.. 

*  There  is  fuch  an  admirable  fimplicity  and  con- 
formity to  fcripture,  running  through  the  whole  of 
the  confcffton  of  faith^  from  whence  the  above  extra(St 
is  made,  that  I  doubt  not  but  I  fhall  do  a  thing  ac- 
ceptable to  many  of  my  readers  in  producing  it.  I 
fhall  therefore  tranfcribe  it  in  the  Appendix.  We 
fhould  have  been  now  much  farther  advanced  in 
Chriftian  knowledge  and  the  pure  worfhip  of  God, 
if  our  articles,  and  confeflions  of  faith,  and  litur- 
gies, had  been  framed  after  fo  chafte  a  model,  when 
we  fcparated  from  the  mother  cf  idolatries^  the  church 
of  Rome.  But  fchool-learning,  attachment  to  what 
had  been  eftablifhcd,  and  a  flavifh  copying  after  a 
fpurious  antiquity,  mifl«d  us  then,  and  continue  to 
miflead  us. 

Arch- 


(    176    ) 

A  (landing  apo-     Afchbifliop  TillotCon,  foeak-^ 

ftolic  rule   con-    .  r    •  i    i  r    i 

ccrning  prayer,    mg  OF  the  grOlS  idolatry  Of  the 

Virgin  Mary,  our  Lord's  mo-i 
ther,  among  x\\q  papijis^  remarks;  *'  That 
the  greater  part  of  their  religion,  both  pub- 
lic and  private,  is  made  up  of  that  which 
was  no  part  at  all  of  the  religion  of  the 
apoftles  and  primitive  Chriftians;  nay,  which 
plainly  contradifts  it :  for  that  exprefsly 
teaches  us,  that  there  is  but  One  objeB  of 
our  prayer  Si  and  one  Mediator  hy  whom  we 
are  to  make  ouraddreffes  to  God."  **  There 
is  one  God  ;  and  one  Mediator  between  God 
and  man,  the  man  Chrift  Jefus,"  fays  St, 
Paul,  1  Tim.  ii.  5.  when  he  gives  a  ftand- 
ing  rule  concerning  prayer  in  the  Chriftian 
church  */' 

Now  this,  which  this  good  man,  and 
moft  inftrudivc  preacher  rightly  and  wife- 
ly afferts  to  be  ajianding  apoflolic  rule  con- 
cerning prayer y  from  one  fingle  textj  has 
been  at  large  evinced  to  be  fuch,  in  the 
foregoing  papers,  by  a  long  dedudion 
from  the  holy  fcriptures  5  and  it  has  alfo 
been    corroborated  and  confirmed   by  the 

*   Tillotfon's  fermons,  vol.  x.   p.  144. 

con- 


(   ^n   ) 

concurring  teftimony  and  confefiion  of  the 
beft    antiquity    harmonizing    in    this   one 
point,    however  at  variance  in  other?,    that 
frayer    is   to   be   offered  to    God  the   Fa- 
ther alone.     It  cannot  but   be,    therefore, 
of  the  mod  ferious  concernnrient  to  all,    in 
thefe  enlightened   times,    not   to  go   con- 
trary themfclves,    or  to  influence  others  in. 
going  contrary  to  fo  plain  a  prefcribed  rule 
of  vvorfliip,   in  which  the  honour  of  God 
is  immediately  concerned.     And  is  it  not 
inverting   the  very  rule  laid  down  here  by 
the  Holy  Spirit,   to   addrefs  prayer   to  the 
man  Chriji  jefusi  the  Mediator,  as  the  apoftle 
fpeaks>    and  not   to  the  Oav  G^^  himfelf  ? 
If  then>  happily^  every  thing  in  our  liturgy 
ihat  is  not  agreeable  to  this  Handing  apof- 
tolic  rule,  and  the  general    prefcription  of 
God's  word,    be  changed  or  removed,    all 
Chriflian  people  of  whatever   denomina- 
tion,  ancient   or  modern,  Arians,   Atha- 
uafians,   Socinians,  Lutherans,   Calvinifts, 
Churchmen,    may  agree  and  join  together 
in    the  worlLip    u fed   by.  the  apollles    of 
Chriftf  and  primitive  Chriflians. 

Other   agreem^ent   than   this    in   public 

-worfhip  can  never  be  attained,    nor  ought 

N  ^         ever 


(     i7'8    ) 

c^ver  to  be  propofed.  For,  where  men  afe 
allowed  to  read  the  fcriptures,  and  think 
for  themfelves,  difference  in  opinion  will 
be  unavoidable,  even  on  points  the  moft 
important ;  becaufe  whatever  is  matter  of 
confcience  to  any  one  is  of  the  higheft  im- 
portance to  him.  But  a  form  of  exprefs 
fcj^iptilfal  worfjip  mud  be  fatisfad:ory  to 
all,  and  fuch  in  which  they  can  cordially 
unite.  '*  Good  men,  fays  an  excellent  per- 
fon,  differing  in  their  own  tx^vtffion^,  yet 
agree  mfcripture  forms  of  words,  acknow- 
ledging the  meaning  of  the  Holy  Ghofl  in 
them  is  true  ;  and  they  endeavour  to  un- 
derftand  and  find  it  out  as  well  as  they  carr; 
therefore  they  Ihould  continue  friends;. and 
think  they  agree,  rather  than  think  they 
do  not  agree;  becaufe  they  do  agree  in 
what  is  God's,  and  infallible ;  though  they 
differ  in  what  is  their  own^  and  fallible :  and 
upon  this  confideration  forbear  one  another; 
and  not  impofe  their  own,  either  fenfe  or 
phrafe  ^■.'* 

But  this  charity f   i  Cor.  xiil.   this  per- 
feft  ftate  oi  Ghriltianity,   fecms  to  be  ftill 

*   Dr.    Whichcote's    letter   to  Dr.    Tuckney, 

p.   II.  12. 

afar 


(     179     ) 

^Far  off,  although  we  *  are,  I  truft,  ap- 
proximating towards  it.  Some  late  pub- 
lications, and  a  declared  indifpofition  to 
reformation,  efpecially  in  the  great  oijedl 
of  worjjjtp^  forbid  to  entertain  any  pre- 
fent  hope  of  much  fuccefs.  In  the  meaa 
time,    however,     truth   and   right    things 

*  I  would  hope  the  firft  words   of  the  followirg 
paragraph,  written  fifteen  years  fince,  are  too  ftrong- 
\y  put  J  for  the  reft,  it  is  ferious  and  important.    "  I 
do  not  fee  any  figns  in   this  age,    to  denote  it  to  be 
an  age  oif  reformation,  nor  do  I  think  it  is  the  will 
oif  God  it  fhould  ;  becaufe  I  rather  think  I  fee  fome 
mariifeft  proofs  to  the  contrary  :    the  time,  hov/ever, 
will  come,  when,  as  St.  Paul  expreilvfth  it;,    i  Cor* 
xi.3.  all  men  fhall  know  that  the  bead  of  every  man  is 
Chrijl ;  and  as  the  head  of  the  woman  is  the  man,  fo  the 
head  of  Chriji    is  God^     The   ample  illuftration  of 
wjiich  great  truth  may  poffibly  be   referved  for  that 
glorious  day,  when    the  fuUnefs  of  the  gentiles  being 
come,  the  meffiahfliip  of  Jefus  will  be  more  evidently 
difplayed — the  Unity  of  the  Godhead  be   eflablifhed  ; 
and  the    great    ftumbling-block  of   ofFence    to  the 
converflon  of  the  Jews  being  removed,    then  Jhall 
all  Ifrael  be  faved,    Rom,  xi,  25,  26-      But,    in  the 
mean    time,  there   vnifl  needs  be   herefies    amongjl  us, 
fays  the  fame  apoflle,    that  they  which  are   approved 
may  be  fnade    manifeJii'-^'-^Vindication  of  the  hijlo- 
ries  of  the  Old  and  New  Teflament,   by  BiJljop-ClaytoHf 
P'  34>   35' 

N  a  fhould 


(     i8o    ) 

(liould  Se  propofcd  to  the  public,  however 
unlikely  to  fuccecd  at  prefent;  and  often 
propofed,  that  men  may  not  lofe  fight  of 
them.  And  Providence  will  raife  up  in- 
ftruments  to  forward  its  own  defigns,  when 
the  time  comes. 

It  remains  to  be  enquired  what  remedy 
there  may  be  for  thofe  who  cannot,  with  a 
fafe  confcience,  continue  to  officiate,  or  con- 
llantly  join  in  the  prefent  forms  of  our  litur- 
gy ;  who  may  be  afraid  of  incurring  his  dif- 
pleafure,  who  hath  faid,  Exod .  xx.  3 .  *'  Thou 
fhalt  have  no  other  Gods  before  me -y'  and 
of  contravening  our  Saviour  Ghrift's  ex- 
prefs  command,  fo  often,  but  not  too  often 
repeated  by  us,  *'  Thou  (halt  worfhip  the 
Lord  thy  God,  and  him  only  fhalt  thou^ 
ferve."     Mattk.  iv.  10. 

Dr.  Samuel  Clarke^  fuperior  genius  and 
learning  were  the  lead  of  his  excellencies. 
His  unaffuming  modefty  and  humility,  his 
piety,  integrity,  arden\  love  of  truth,  and 
zeal  for  God  and  his  true  worfhip  in  the 
world,  ilill  more  diftinguiflied  him  from 
ordinary  men.  It  appears  from  his  con- 
verfation   with  Mr.  Emlyn,  to   whom  he 

8  opened 


(     ^8i      ) 

opened  himfelf  without  referve,  that  the 
great  obje<ft  of  his  life,  ftudies,  and  en- 
deavours, was  to  procure  the  removal  of 
the  declaratmzs  and  fuhfcrtptions  required 
in  our  church  to  its  articles  and  liturgy, 
and  the  reformatioii  of  the  liturgy  itfelf; 
*  and  that,  if  he  had  been  raifcd  to  the  fee 
of  Canterbury,  which,  to  the  everlafting 
honour  of  the  princes  of  the  lad  reign, 
was  deflincd  *  by  them  for  this  Unit arian 
Divi?ie,  he  would  then,  indeed,  have  ex- 
:erted  all  his  interefl:  and  great  abilities,  to 
make  our  church  the  moji  pure,  as  it  has 
been  long  the  moft  refpedable  of  all  the 
!:€ formed  churches. 

It  was  a  noble  attempt  that  he  made, 
related  by  Mr.  Whifton,  to  change  the 
doxologies  that  were  ufcd  in  the  iinging 
of  pfalms  in  his  church  at  St.  James's, 
which,  not  being  prefcribed  by  the  rubric, 
he  might  think  himfelf  at  liberty  to  alter. 
But  through  the  zeal  of  Robinfon,  the 
then  bifliop  of  London,  it  proved  abor- 
tive. 

The  alteration  attempted  to  be  intro- 
duced was  this  :~ 

*  Emiyn,  vol.  II.   p.  492,  493,  49f 

N  :;  .      ^  To 


[      l82      ] 

To  God,  through  Chrifl:,  his  Son„ 
Our  Lord,  all  glory  be. 
inftead  of 
To  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghofl, 
Immortal  glory  be. 

But  as  the  venerable  apoftolic  old  man, 
who  has  preferved  this  account,  remarks — 
•'  The  bidiop,  in  the  way  oi  modern  autho- 
rity,  was  quite  too  hard  for  T>r,  Clarke  in 
the  way  of  prmitive  Chrijlianity  *." 

Dr.  Clarkes  heart  was  entirely  fet  on 
bringing  about  fpme  reformation  in  this  ca- 
pital point  of  divine  worfhip  5  and  if  his  va- 
luable life  had  been  prolonged,  in  whatever 
fituation  he  had  continued,  he  would  have 
ufed  his  beft  efforts  for  it ;  and  if  no  fuccefs 
had  attended  them,  I  am  inclined  to  believe, 
from  v.^hat  Mr.  Emlyn  lets  fall  of  the  un- 
eafy  ftate  of  his  mind,  and  from  his  mani- 
i^ft  dlfapprobation  f  of  all  religious  worship 

*  Hiftorical  memoirs  of  the  life  of  Dr.  S.  Clarke, 
edy  3.  P-  7^- —  Mr.  Whifton  was  above  fourfcore 
years  old,  when  he  publifhed  this  laft  edition. 

f  This  is  ftrongly  marked  in  his  amendments  of 
the  liturgy  of  our  church,  cited  below  ;  in  which  he 
blots  out  every  pafTage,  without  exception,  in  which 
Chrift  is  confidered  as  an  objecSl  of  worfhip,  or  prayer 
offered  to  him. 

not 


(     i83     ) 

not  immediately  addrefled  to  God,  ihe  Fa- 
ther, that  he  would  have  given  up  his  pre- 
ferment, and  retired. 

But  what  he  might  not  perhaps  have 
been  able  after  all  to  effcd:  himfelf,  he 
was  labouring  at  his  leifure  hours  to  make 
more  eafy  for  thoft  that  came  after  him. 

**  He  once  rtiewed  me  (faith  Mr.  Em- 
lyn)  that  he  had  been  making /Sw£'  emenda- 
iions  in  his  common- prayer  book.  And  the 
very  laft  time  J  think  I  ever  fa w  him,  the 
March  before  he  died,  in  fome  of  our  laft 
difcourfe  at  parting,  he  aiked  me,  if  he  had 
fhewn  me  what  he  had  been  doing  in  his 
common-prayer  book.  I  faid,  I  had  juft  feen 
it  once.    He  faid,  it  ihould  not  be  loft  *.** 

This  hi«  laft  labour,  as  it  (honld  feem, 
and  monument  of  his  zeal  for  the  honour 
pf  God,  and  purity  of  his  worfhip,  has 
been  prefented  by  his  fon  to  the  Britifli 
Muf3£um,  where,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  it  will 
;not  be  depofited  in  vain. 

The 

*  Emclyn,  vol.  ii.  p.  494. 

,   Thje  author  oft  he  GonfejfionaU  {edition  3.  /?.  426, 

no^i)-^  has  given  the  firfl:   information  to  the  public 

concerning  this  mahufcript,    and  at  the  fame  time 

-  produced  from  it  a  valuable  atteftation  of  Dr.  Clarke 

N   4  ^  to 


(     i»4     ) 

tyr:'cun'h's         The  amendments  of  the  H-- 
c^the  m"!  turgy,    propo^bd   by  Dr.  ClarJ^e, 
lindtT''"  ^^hJ^fiy  relate  to  the  right  direc- 
tion  of  prayer  and  thankfgiving 
to  its  only  objed,   the  one  living  and  true 
God,  as  taughe  by  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  y 
not  but  that  he  has  made  fbme  very  conii- 
derable  improvements  in  other  refpedts,  as 
he  paffcd  along.  It  was  no  fmall  fatisfadion, 
in  the  perufal  of  them,  to  find  that  thofe 
parts  of  our  public  fervice,  which  had  long 
feemed  to  me  to  countenance  an  unfcriptu- 
ral,  and  therefore  unlawful,  forbidden  wor^ 
fhip,  i.  e,   the  offering  up  of  prayer  to  any 
but  the  one  true  God,  the  Father  ;  were  a/l 
of  them  either  cancelled  or  altered  by  this, 
eminent  perfon.    I  fhould  have  held  it  fit- 
ting and  needful  for  my  own  ju{lification,ta 
have  given  fome  account  of  thofe  paffagesf 
in  the  liturgy  on  the  article  of  divine  wor- 
fhip,  which  I  had  fcruples  in  reading,  or  in 
joining  in  the  conftant  ufe  of  them :   but  I 
reckon  it  a  fortunate  circumftance,  that  I 

to  the  dellgn  of  his  own  admirable  work,  which  will 
long  remain  a  clafiic  of  the  firfl:  account  in  our 
church,  'till  it  be  fuperfeded  and  fet  afide  by  that 
full  fcriptural  reformation  in  dodrine  and  worfhip, 
which  it  aims  to  promote. 

am 


(    t85    ) 

am  able  to  fay,  they  were  alfo,  in  a  greater 
or  lefler  degree,  the  objedions  of  Dr, 
Clarke. 


A  lift  of  exceptionable  farts  of  the  liturgy 
with  refpeB  to  the  objedl  of  worfhip  -,  all  of 

'  which  are  either  quite  Jlriick  out^  or  change 
ed^  by  Dr.  Clarke, 


Glorv  be  to  the  Father,  and 
to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy 
Ghofl: :  As  it  was  in  the  begin- 
ning, is  now,  and  ever  fhall  be, 
world  without  ^x\^. 
Te  Deum, 

Thou  art  the  king  of  glory, 
O  Chrift. 

Thou  art  the  everlafting  Son 
of  the  Father. 

When  thou  tookefl  upon  thee 
to  deliver  man,  thou  didfl:  not 
abhor  the  virgin's  womb. 

When  thou  hadft  overcome 
the  fliarpnefs  of  death,  thou  didft 
open  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to 
all  bejievers. 

Thou  fitted  at  the  right  hand 
of  God  in  the  glory  of  the  Fa- 
ther. 


ftruck  out, 
and  chang- 
ed,   where- 
fCMer  it  is 
ordered  tQ 
be  read. 


changed ; 
and  the 
whole  di- 
r  refted  to 
God,  and 
not  toChri/i 


Te 


(        1:86        ) 

^e  Dnim  continued. 

We  believe  that  tbcu  fiialc 
come  to  be  our  judge. 

We  therefore  pray  thee  to  help 
thy  fervants,  whom  thou  haft  re-  *  ^holTdi- 
deemed  with  thy  precious  blood.  ^ -'''"^  *- 

IVIake  thern  to  be  nuo:»bered 
with  thy  faints  in  glory  everlaft- 
ing. 

Lord  have  mercy  upon  us. 

Chrift  have  mercy  upon  us. 

Lord  have  mercy  upon  us. 


changed  ^ 
and  the 


re^ed  to 
God^  and 
not  XoCkriJi 


-J  quite  ftruck 
/out,   here 

\  and  every 
^  wher€. 


Prayer  of  St.  Chryfojlom. 
— when  two  or  three  are  ga- '^  changed  ta 
thered  together  in  ^hy  name—     y^J'^ 

27/^  creed  of  St.  Athanajiu^.         flruck  Aut. 

Litany. 

O  God  the  Son,  redeemer  of 
the  world,  have  mercy  upon  us, 
miferable  finners. 

O  God  the  Holy  Ghoft,  pro- 


changed  ; 

and  the 

ceeding  from  the  Father  and  the  >ardredV 

mi- 


Son,   have  mercy  upon   uS; 
ferable  finners. 

O  holy,  bleflcd,  and  glorious 
Trinity,  three  perfons  and  one 


tioe  mi  Gcdt 
the  Fjicher. 


God, 


(     i87    ) 

Litany  continued, 
God,   have  mercy  upon  us,  mi- 
ferable  finners. 

•r— whom   thou  haft  redeemed 
with  thy  moft  precious  blood. 

By  the  myftery  of  thy  holy  in- 

*carnation,    by  thy  holy  nativity 

and  circumcifion ;    by  thy  bap- 

tifm,  fafting,  and  temptation  ; 

By  thine  agony  and  bloody 
fweat;  by  thy  crofs  and  paffion  ; 
by  thy  precious  death  and  burial; 
by  thy  glorious  refurred:ion  and 
afcenfion;  and  by  the  coqiing  of  | 
the  Holy  Ghoft.  -* 


Son  of  God,  we  befeech  thee' 
to  hear  us. 

Son  of  Godj  we  befeech  thee  to 
hear  us. 

O  Lamb  of  God,  that  takeft 
away  the  fins  of  the  world. 

Grant  us  thy  peace, 

O  Lamb  of  God,  that  takeft 
away  the  fins  of  the  world. 

Have  mercy  upon  us. 

O  Chrift  hear  us. 

O  Chrijl  hear  us. 

Lord  have  mercy  upon  us. 


changed  ; 
and  the 
whole  di- 
refted  to 
God, 


the  whole 

>  of  this  quite 

(Iruck  ouu 


Lord 


(     iS8    ) 

Litany  continued. 

LiOrd  have  mercy  upon  us»  1 

Chrift  have  mercy  upon  uf^  | 

Chrift  have  mercy  upon  us,  j.^"^^^  ih^:^h 


out. 


Lord  have  mercy  upon  us.        j 
Lord  have  mercy  upon  us,         j 

From  our  enemies  defend  us, 
O  Chrift. 

O  Son  of  David,  have  mercy    charged. 

Both  now  and  ever  vouchfafe 
to  hear  us,  O  Chrift^  j 

Gracioufly  hear  us,  O  Chrift,^ 
graciouily  hear  us,  O  Lord  Chrift.]  ^^""^  ^^^'^ 

Prayer  in  time  of  dearth  and 

famine^ 
— to    whom,   with    thee    andlj^'''^'^''^  ^"^ 

I  here,    and 

the  Holy  Ghoft  be  all  honour  and  (everywhere 
glory,  now  ^d  fbr  ever.  J;^-^;: 

CoIIeBs. 
Firji  Sunday  in  Advent. 
— •  who    liveth    and    reigneth^ 
wi:h  thee  and  the  Holy  Ghoft 
now  and  ever. 


phanged 
^  here,    ar.d 
in  all  other 
places. 


Third  Sunday  in  Advent. 
O  Lord  Jefu  Chrift,  who,  atl  ^^f  S]^'  , 
thy  nrft  commg,  &c.  ykAtoGoj. 

Fourth 


(     i89     ) 

Tmrth  Sunday  in  Advent. 


changed. 


Chrijlmas-Day. 
—who   liveth     and    reignethl 
with   thee  and  the   fame  Spirit,  l,^^^f"5and 
ever  one    God,    world    without  I  everywhere. 


end 


St.  Stephens  Day. 


— who  prayed  for  his  murder-}  charged, 
ers  to  thee,  O  blefled  jeias —      ^ed  loGod. 


Trinity  Sunday,  changed. 

Nicene  creed,  ^^^"^^  °"^^' 

Exiwrtation  to  the  communion. 
— above  all  ye  muft  give  raoftl 
humble  and  hearty  thanks  to  God 
the  Father,    the    Son,    and    the 
Holy  Ghoft,  for  the  redemption 
of  the   world  by   the   death  and    ""^^^f^ 
paffion    of    our   Saviour  Chnu,  |  ^d  to  G;^"- 


both  God  and  man. — 

To  him,  therefore,  with  the  j 
Father,  and  the  Holy  Gholt,  let ! 
us  give  continual  thanks.  J 

Preface  upon  the  feajl  of  Trinity^     ftruck  out. 

Prayer 


(     '90     ) 

Prayer  after  the  communion. 

* — by  whom,  and  with  whom 
in  the  unity  of  the  Holy  Ghoft, 
all  honour  and  glory  be  unto 
thee,  O  Father. 

O  Lord,  the  only  begotten 
Son,  Jefu  Chrift,  O  Lord  God, 
Lamb  of  God,  Son  of  the  Father, 
that  takeft  away  the  fins  of  the 
world,  have  mercy  upon  us. 
Thou  that  takeft  a  ways  the  fins, 
of  the  world,  have  mercy  upon 
us.  Thou  that  takeft  away  the 
fins  of  the  world,  receive  our 
prayer.  Thou  that  fitteft  at  the 
right  hand  of  God  the  Father, 
have  mercy  upon  us. 

For  thou  only  art  holy,  thou 
only  art  the  Lord,  thou  only,  O 
Chrift,  with  the  Holy  Ghoft, 
art  moft  high  in  the  glory  of 
God  the  Father. 

Public  baptifm  of  infants. 

— Ye  have   prayed,    that  our" 
Lord  Jefus  Chrift  would  vouch- 
fafe   to  received  him,   to  releafe 
him  of  his  fins,  to  fandify  him 


changed. 


changed  in- 
■  tirejy,  and 
^addrefled 

only  to  God. 


changed 
here,  and 
alio  in  the 
.baptifm  of 
fuch  as  arc 
of  riper 
years. 

with 


I   191   ) 

tvith    the  Holy  Ghoft,   to  givel 
him  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and 
everlafting  life — Ye  have  heard    aifo  in  the 
affo,-  that  our  Lord  Jefus   hath  ^^^P'^^"^°^ 
promifed    in  his  golpel  to  grant 
all  thefe  things. 


changed 
here,  and 


fuch  as  are 
of  riper 
years. 


Catechifm, 

What  doft  thou  chiefly  learn" 
in  thefe  articles  of  the  belief? 

Firft,  I  learn  to  believe  in 
God  the  Father,  who  hath  made 
me  and  all  the  world. 

Secondly,'  in   God    the    Son,  ^^'"^°«^- 
who  hath    redeemed  me  and  all 
mankind. 

Thirdly,  in  God  the  Holy 
Ghoft,  who  fand:ifies  me,  and 
all  the  eled  people  of  God. 


Matrimo7iy, 
God  the  Father,  God  the  Son 
and  God  the  Holy  Ghoft,    blefs 
prefcrve^  and  keep  you. 


\ 


changed. 


Vifitation  of  the  feck,. 
AhfoJution. 
Our  lord  Jefus  Chrift,    who^ 
hath  left  power  10  his  church  to  U«^feflruck 
abfolve  all  finners,  who  truly  re- J 

pent 


(     ^92     ) 

pent  and  believe  in  him,  of  his 
great  mercy  forgive  thee  thine 
offences  5  and,  by  his  authority 
comn^itted  to  ine^  I  abfolve  thee  j> quite  ftruck 
from  all  thy  fins,  in  the  name  of 
the  Father,  and  of  the  Son^  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghoft* 

What  may  be       ic  I  may  err,  and  yet  be  fav^ 

done  by  thofe      ,         7         /         /      7  ;   •        • 

who  cannot  ed.  in  the-  dark  and  intricate 
ly'tint'tt  "^'^^^^  of  controversy,  I  may  make 
eftabliftied      falfe  fcps^   njoithout  being  at  all 

vvorfbip.  ..  ^  _  ,    ^ 

the  more  out  oj  my  way  to  blef- 
Jedmfs'[  Sincerity  and  integrity  are 
things  nnal  in  rehgion  >  right  opinions 
are  of  inferior  confideration,  and  inftru- 
,  mental  only.  Earnellly  as  it  is  to  be 
wiflied  for  and  endeavoured,  that  our  fo- 
lemn  public  addreffes  to  almighty  God* 
and  worship  of  him,  were  framed  and  con- 
duced in  the  moil  perfect  manner,  fuited 
to  the  difcoveries  made  of  himfelf  and  his 
merciful  defigns  by  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift, 
and  fo  as  bed  to  cultivate  in  us  a  temper 
of  devouteft  reverence,  fubmiffion,  and 
obedience  to  him,  and  of  mod  unbounded 
love  to  our  fellow-creatures  of  mankind : 

yet 


(     193     ) 

yet  as  any  great  degree  of  perfedlion  is  not 
to  be  attained  in  human  appointnients,  or 
but  by  flow  degrees ;  it  feems  a  duty  to  ac- 
quiefce  in  the  public  forms  of  reh'gious 
worfhip,  though  faulty  and  imperfe<51:,  and 
not  to  make  them  a  caufe  of  feparation 
from  onr  Chriilian  brethren,  where  we  caa 
innocently  comply  with  them. 

About  five  and  twenty  years  ago,  many 
ftriking  faults  and  defers  in  our  liturgy  and- 
church- eflablifhmenr,  were  in  the  moft 
gentle  and  inoffenfive  manner  pointed  out, 
and  iirft,  privately,  and  in  manufcript,  fub- 
mitted  to  the  conlideration  of  an  eminent 
prelate,  faid  to  be  Bifhop  Gibfon  ;  and  af- 
terwards, if  not  with  his  confcnt,  yet  with- 
out a  prohibition  from  him,  laid  before  the 
public,  in  the  treatife  called  the  Free  and 
Candid  Difquifitionsy  &c.  ^ 

The  writers  of  that  valuable  work  do 
not  reprefent  any  of  thofe  things,  of  which 
ihey  fought  the  redrefs,  as  contrary  to  the 
word  of  God,  but  as  unedifying,  and  hin- 
dering its  good  efFed:  on  the  minds  of  his 
worfhipers.  And  in  parucular,  they  ap- 
pear fatisfied  with-  the  commonly  received 
do(flrine  of  the  Trinity,  although  they 
plead  for  the  removal  of  the  Athanajian 
O  creed. 


(     194    ) 

creed,  or  a  liberty  at  leaft  to  drop  it,   as 
fcrving  no  good  end,  and  fome  bad  ones. 

But  the  matter  becomes  infinitely  more 
ferious  and  important  to  the  individual, 
when  the  worfhip  injoined  in  the  liturgy 
is  ejfteemed  to  be  dired:ed  to  a  wrong  ob- 
je(ft,  and  finfuhy  finful,  I  mean,  to  his  ap- 
prehenfion,  who  is  convinced  from  the  fa- 
cred  fcriptures,  that  God,  the  Father,  is 
alone  the  objeft  of  religious  worfhip,  and 
that  prayer  ought  not  to  be  addreffed  to 
any  other  being  or  perfon  whatfoever.  To 
join  conftantly  in  forms  of  devotion,  that 
are  direded  to  one  or  more  other  perfons, 
will  appear,  more  or  lefs,  an  approbation 
of  fuch  woriliip,  and  muft  influence  him 
to  willi  for  fome  other  forms  which  he  can' 
more  approve,  and  in  which  he  may  not 
wOrJJ:>ip  God  amifs. 

Many  members  of  our  eftabliflied  church 
are  faid  to  be  offended  with  its  Trimtarian 
forms,  fo  as  to  be  kept  thereby  from  the 
duty  of  ajfembling  themfelves  Heb.  x.  25.  to- 
gether for  religious  worfhip,  to  their  own 
moral  lofs  and  difadvantage  withoiat  extra- 
ordinary care  and  holy  vigilance  ;  and  to 
the  manifefl  detriment  of  others,  by  an 
open  example  of  irreligion.     Many  there 

are 


{     ^95      ) 

ire  alfo,  who  are  much  hurt  and  diflatlsfi- 
ed  with  joining  in  devotions  theydifapprove; 
but  are  unwilling  to  go  over  to  the  churches 
of  our  diflenting  brethren,  on  account  of 
their  preference  of  a  prefcribed  form  of 
prayer  i  and  are  therefore  at  a  lofs  where  to 
^  turn  themfelves  for  fecial  worlhip  of  the 
great  Creator,  the  God  and  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jefus  Chrift. 

To  fuch  peffons  as  thefe,  fomething  In 
the  way  of  Dr,  Clarke's  reformed  lititrgy^ 
holds  forth  every  thing  which  they  feek. 
^^  adopting  this,  they  may  quiet  and  fa- 
tisfy  their  own  minds,  in  that  great  point, 
the  right  ohjeB  ofworjlnp-,  and  may  do  the 
mod  effential  fervice  tothe  church  eftablifh- 
ed,  by  bearing  a  peaceable,  open,  and  mod 
effectual  teftimony  againft  her  errors;  and 
fernain  a  perpetual  (landing  monument  of 
her  departure  from  the  purity  of  God's 
worfliip,  until  fhe  return  to  it. 

The  following  paffage  from  an  account 
of  Mr,  Firmins  religion^  annexed  to  his 
Life,  falls  in  fo  aptly  and  intirely  with 
my  propofal  and  defign,  that  I  may  not 
.omit  it, 

O  2  ''  He 


[     196    3 

*^  He  [Mr.  Firmin]  propofcd,  befides  the 
continuation*  of  his  tormerefforts,  to  hold 
aflemblies  for  divine  wordiip,  diftindl  from 
the  aflemblies  of  any  other  denomination, 
of  Chriftians.  But  he  did  not  intend  tbefe 
afl^emblies  or  congregations  by  way  of  -f- 
fchifm,  or  feparation  from  the  church  ;  but 
otAyzs fraternities  in  the  church,  who  would 
undertake  a  more  efpecial  care  oi  that  arti- 
cky  for  the  fake  of  which  it  is  certain  both 
the  Tejiaments  were  written.  The  great  de- 
fjgn  and  fcope  of  both  Teftaments,  and  the 

*  This  refers  to  a  fcheme  of  agreement  betwixt  the 
church  of  England  and  the  Socinians,  which  Mr. 
Firmin  had  caufed  to  be  publifhed,  in  which  the  So- 
cians  declared,  that  they  could  look  upon  the  church ^ 
Qf  England  to  he  a  Socman  churchy  and  heartily  adjoin 
themfelves  to  her,  if  all  that  was  meant  by  a  Trinity 
of  perfons,  was  only  three  internal  relations  of  the 
Deity  to  it/elf;  an  interpretation  which  had  been  pub- 
licly efpoufed  by  Dr.  Wallis  and  others,  in  the  con- 
troverfy  with  Dr.  Sherlock,  who  had  gone  into  the 
contrary  extreme, 

f  [Schifm]  SeparatioR  from  a  jSarticular  church, 
on  account  of  God's  true  worihip  not  being  rightly 
upheld  in  it,  /;  no  blameable  fchifm.  Such  fchifm  is  often 
times  a  duty^  and  laudable.  Such  fchiftnatics  were  we^ 
and  the  vohole  body  of  protejlants^  when  we  feparated 
from  the  idolatrous  church  of  Rome  • 

reafon 


reafon  that  they  were  given  by  God,  was  to 
regain  mankind  to  the  belief  and  acknow- 
ledgment of  but  One  God-,   to  deftroy  poly- 
theifm  of  all  forts.    Mr.  Firmin  intended  to 
recommend  it  to   the  Unitarian  congrega- 
tions, as  the  very  reafon  of  their  diftindl  af- 
fembling,  to  be  particularly  mindful  of,  and 
zealous  for,  the  article  of  the  Unity  ^  tocaufe 
it  to  be  fo  explained  in  their  aiTcmblies,  ca- 
techifm?,   apd  books,    that   all  men  might 
eafily  and  readily  know    in  what  fenfe  the 
Unity  of  God  is  to  be  believed.     He  fear- 
ed that,   without  fuch  affemblies,  the  con- 
tinual ufe  cf  terms,  viz.  2^ 'Trinity  of  Divine 
perfonSi  which  in  their  ordinary  fignification 
are  confeffed    by  all  to  imply  three  Gods, 
would   paganize  in  fome   time  the  whole 
Chriftian  church,  which  is  heathen  already 
in  the  majority  of  its  members  by  occafioa 
of  thofe  ternis ;    and  that  no  fufficient  care 
i>s  taken  to  interpret  them  to  the  people*," 
This  plan  of  Mr.  Firmin's  did  not  take 
efFe(fl,  probably  by  his  being  foon  after  re- 
moved away  by  death.    Nor  does  it  appear 
to  have  been  put  into  execution  by  any  of 

*  An  account  of  Mr.  Firmin's  religion,   p.  50.  51^ 

O  ^  his 


(     198    ) 

his  friends.  And  near  fourfcore  years  have 
lapfed  fince  his  time,  whilfl:  our  churchy 
and  its  form  of  worfliip,  remain  the  fame  : 
no  aheration  made  in  its  unfcriptural  lan- 
guage on  this  article;  but  all  the  unlearn- 
ed, and  feme  of  better  account,  too  general- 
ly conceiving  oi  the  trinity  of  Divine  per- 
fonsy  as  of  three  equal  Gods  equally  to  be 
ivorjfjiped. 

*^  Since,  then,  there  is  not  a  plurality  of 
Gods,  fays  our  late  metropolitan,  and  yet 
the  Son  and  Spirit  are  each  of  them  God, 
no  lefs  than  the  Father :  it  plainly  follows, 
that  they  are  in  a  manner  by  us  inconceiv- 
able, fo  united  to  him,  that  thefe  three  are 
one;  but  ftill  in  a  manner  equally  incon- . 
ceivable,  fodiftinguifhed  from  him,  that  no 
one  is  the  other*/' 

From  this  defcription,  plain  ordinary 
minds  would  hardly  be  able  to  gather,  that 
there  is  but  One  God,  We  fhould  be  un- 
avoidably led  to  conclude  that  there  are 
three  Gods.  For  the  Son  and  Spirit  are  de- 
clared each  of  them  to  be  God  no  lefs  than  the 
Father,    And  though    it  be  in  words  dif- 

*  Archbifhop  Seeker's  Icdures  on  the  church 
cat€chifm,  vol.  i,  p.  199. 

owned. 


{     199     ) 

owned,  that  there  is  a  plurality  of  Gods, 
yet  in  common  arithmetic,  the  Son  and  Spi- 
rit, each  of  them  God  no  lefs  than  the  Fa- 
ther, do  certainly  count  three  Gods, 

In  the  Dean  of  Gloucefter's  fermons,  very 
^lately  published,  at  page  54,  we  meet  with 
the  following  doxology  j  **  To  Iiim  there- 
fore. Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghoil,  let  thefe 
miracles  of  divine  mercy  be  ever  afcribed; 
and /^  them  be  glory,  praife,  majefly,  and 
dominion,  both  now  and  for  evermore," 

The  perfonal  pronoun,  himy  evidently 
points  to  One  perfon,  One  individual,  intel- 
ligent agent.  So  that  how  it  can  relate  to  three 
ferfons,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghoft,  and 
they  be  called  /z/;;;,  is  h?rd  to  fay,  or  to  re- 
concile with  grammar  or  notation  of  num- 
bers :  and  for  the  latter  claufe  of  afcription 
oi  equal  glory  to  Father,  Son^  and  Holy  Ghojiy 
it  isafluredly  without  precedent  in  the  holy 
fcriptures, 

^MQk\ fraternities  as  thofe  now  mentioned, 
i.  e.  churches  or  focieties  of  Unitarian  Chrif- 
tians,  would  by  degrees  contribute  to  the  re- 
moval of  fach  unfcriptural  language  and 
worfliip  as  this,   by  holding  forth  a  better 

O  4  pattern; 


(      200      ) 

pattern ;  and  to  many  other  valuable  ends  of 
true  religion.  I  have  often  thought  that  if 
the  members  of  Mr.  Y^^\i'\i\ov\%  fociety  for 
promotingprimitheChriJlianity^',  fuch  among 
them  as  were  of  the  church  of  England,  the 
late  Speaker  Mr.  Onflow  and  others,  had 
formed  fuch  a  fraternity  or  church  as  we  are 
here  treating  of,  the  influence  of  fuch  an 
example  might  have  had  great  and  lafting 
good  etTed:  on  their  families,  their  friends, 
and  many  others  in  fucceflion,  and  wefliould 
at  this  day  have  perceived  and  enjoyed  many 
Angular  advantages  to  true  Chriftianity  re- 
fulting  from  it;  inflead  of  which,  by  con- 
tinuing in  conftant  communion  with  the 
church  efi.abliihed,  the  benefit  of  their  ex- 
ample and  tefl:imony  is  almofl:  intirely  loft. 

It  muft,  neverthelefs,  be  always  con- 
fefl}.d  and  acknowledged,  that  diflferent 
perfans  fee  the  fame  thing  in  different 
lights,  and  form  contrary  conclufions  from 
it  ;  and  no  one  ought  to  condemn  another 
that  difFcreth  from  him.  What  has  been 
here  oflfered,  is  only  applicable  to  thofe 
who  are  perfuaded   from    holy  fcripture, 

*  Hiftorical  memoirs  of  the  life  of  Dr.  S.  Clarke, 
page  67.  7 

that 


I     201      ) 

that  religious  worfliip  is  to  be  paid  to  God, 
the  Father  alone,  in  the  name  of  Jefus 
Chrift,  and  who  may  efleem  it  unlawful 
to  join  conftantly  in  the  ufe  of  Trinitarian 
forms  of  vvorfliip,  as  thinking  that  by  fo  do- 
ing they  give  their  feal  of  approbation  to 
them  ;  which,  furely,  to  thofe  that  are  fo 
perfuaded,  is  no  indifferent  matter. 

Bur,  however  things  may  appear  to  thofe 
who  occupy  the  place  of  hearers,  who  have 
no  office  or  authority  in  the  church,  and 
may  not  fuppofe  themfelves  to  give  their 
affent  to  any  thing  they  hear,  any  farther 
than  it  is  inwardly  approved  by  them  ;  it 
can  hardly  be  reckoned  a  matter  of  indiffe- 
rence to  thofe  who  lead  the  devotions  of  the 
congregation,  and  thereby  make  them 
much  more  their  own,  fo  put  themfelves  to 
the  necejjity  of  continual  double  meaning  and 
collufion^  in  addrejjing  prayer  fome times  to  the 
Son^  fometimes  to  the  Spirit^  as  no  lefs  God 
than  the  Father,  all  the  while  that  they  are 
convinced,  that  there  is  but  one  perfon^  the 
objedl  of  prayer^  the  One  Gody  the  Father)  to 
whom  alone  it  is  to  be  addrrffed.  And  this 
brings  the  matter  home  to  the  particular 
cafe  and  fituation  of  the  writer. 

CHAP. 


(      202      ) 

C  H  A  P  T  E  R     VI. 

T  n  N    n  E  P  f    'E  A  T  T  d'  T. 

MAY  I  have  leave  to  fay,  without 
blame,  that  as  far  as  memory  goes 
back,  I  was  imprefled  from  early  youth  with 
a  love  of  truth  and  virtue,  a  fear  of  God, 
and  a  defire  to  approve  myfelf  to  him;  which 
have  never  left  me  to  this  hour,  though  not 
always  equally  governed  by  them,  nor  im- 
proving fo  great  a  favour  and  bl effing  from 
God  as  I  ought  to  have  done. 

After  the  ufual  time  fpent  at  fchool  and 
in  the  univerfity,  I  entered  into  the  miniftry 
of  the  gofpel,  out  of  a  free  and  deliberate 
choice,  with  a  fuU  perfuafion,  that  it  was 
the  bed  way  in  which  I  could  ferve  God^ 
and  be  ufeful  to  man^  and  with  an  earneft 
defire  that  I  might  promote  thefe  the  great 
ends  of  it. 

Some  things  in  th^  xxxix.  articles  of  our 
church  I  always  difapproved.  And  I  re- 
member it  ftruck  me  at  the  time,  as  a 
flrange  unneceffary  entanglement,  to  put 
young  men  upon  declaring  and  fubfcribing 
their  approbation  of  fuch  a  large  heteroge- 
neous 


(      204      ) 

^eous  mafs  of  pofitions  anddodrines  as  are 
contained  in  the  liturgy,  articles,  and  ho- 
milies ;  efpecially,  as  I  had  obferved,  that 
none  but  thofe  called  Methodifts,  who  were 
then  much  fpoken  of,  preached  in  confor- 
mity to  them.  But  I  was  not  under  any 
fcruples,  or  great  uneafinefs  on  this  account. 
I  had  hitherto  no  doubts ;  or  rather,  I  had 
never  much  thought  of,  or  examined  into 
tfie  doBrine  of  the  'Trinity  :  but  fuppofed  all 
^yas  right  there. 

Some  years  after,  many  doubts  concern- 
ing that  dodlrine,  which  had  fprung  up  in 
the  mind  at  different  times  and  from  vari- 
ous caufes,  compelled  me  to  a  clofer  ftudy 
of  the  fcriptures  with  regard  to  it;  for  the 
ftate  of  fufpenfe  I  was  in  was  very  uneafy 
to  me.  The  more  I  fearched,  the  more  I 
faw  the  little  foundation  there  was  for  the 
dod:rine  commonly  received  and  interwoven 
with  all  the  public  devotions  of  the  church, 
and  could  not  but  be  difturbed  at  a  difco- 
very  fo  ill  fuiting  my  fituation.  For  in  the 
end  I.  became  fully  perfuaded,  to  ufe  St. 
Paul's  cxprefs  words,  i  Corinth,  viii.  6, 
that  t/ie?'e  is  biii  one  God^  the  Father^  and 
he  alone  to  be  worfhiped.     This   appeared 

to 


(       204       ) 

to  bs  the  uniform  unvaried  language  and 
pradiceof  the  Bible  throughout.  And  I 
found  the  fentiments  and  practice  of  Chrif- 
tiapis  in  the  iirfl  and  beft  ages*  correfpond- 

ing 

■^  Athanafius,  and  others  of  the  poft-Nicene  fa- 
thers, w^ere  much  pofed  how  to  digeft  and  reconcile 
to  their  nev/  do6lrine  the  language  that  had  been 
ufed  by  fuch  apoftolic  characters  that  had  lived  be- 
fore them,  as  Dionyfius  of  Alexandria,  and  Gre- 
gory of  Neocsefarea,  concerning  Chrift;  who  hefi- 
tated  not  to  call  him  a  creature,  tnade,  and  the  like. 
They  were  reduced  to  fay,  that  fuch  expreffions  were 
ufed  according  to  a  certain  oeconomy,  as  they  ftiled  it, 
but  which  was  a  thing  intirely  of  their  own  imagina- 
tions :  or,  that  they  were  exprciiions  uttered  only  in 
the  way  of  difputc,  and  to  carry  a  point  againft  an 
adverfary,  and  not  the  real  fentiments  of  thofe  worthy 
perfons ;  an  imputation  of  difmgenuity  and  artifice, 
which  could  only  belong  to  thofe  who  invented  it. 

This  way  of  getting  over  fuch  expreffions  concern- 
ing Chrift  in  the  fcriptures,  and  other  early  writings, 
which  are  thought  to  lower  him  too  much  for  fome 
men's  fyftems,  has  now  given  place  to  what  is  called 
the  t%vo  natures  in  Chrift  ;  a  circumftance  of  which 
cur  Saviour  Chrift  himfelf  appears  wholly  unconfci- 
Gus,  and  his  apoftles  tells  us  nothing  about  it.  Ire- 
naeus  was  certainly  ignorant  of  it,  where  in  one 
place,  alluding  to  Mark  xiii.  32.  he  fays,  "  Since 
Our  Lord  himfelf,  the  Son  of  God,  owned  that  the 

Father 


(      205      ) 

in  with  it.  In  a  coarfs  of  time  afterwards, 
in  the  progrefs  and  refult  of  this  enquiry, 
my  fcruples  wrought  fo  far  as  to  put  me  up* 
on  adtually  taking  fome  previous  fteps,  with 
a  defign  to  relieve  myfelf  by  quiting  my 
preferment  in  ihe  church.  What  prevent- 
^  ed  this  refolution  from  taking  place  and 
being  completed,  I  go  on  to  relate. 

I.  Deftined  early,  and  educated  for  the 
miniflry,  and  my  heart  engaged  in  the  fer- 
vice,  when  the  moment  of  determination 
came,  I  felt  a  reluctance  at  call:! ng  myfelf 
out  of  my  profeiiion  and  way  of  ufefulnefs, 
that  quite  difcouraged  me.  This  was  pro- 
bably heightened  by  my  being  alone  at  the 
time,  haviw  no  intimate  friend  to  confult 
or  converfe  with,  and  my  imagination  mJght 
be  {hocked  by  the  ftrangenefs  and  fmgulari- 
ty  of  what  I  was  going  to  do ;  for  fuch  fub- 
jeds   then,    upwards  of  fifteen   years  ago. 

Father  alone  knew  the  day  and  the  hour  of  judg- 
ment, when  he  laid  exprefsly,  "  of  that  day,  and 
''  that  hour,  knoweth  no  one,  not  the  Son,  but. the 
"  Father  only  ;"  let  us  not  think  much  to  referve  to 
God  queftions  that  are  far  more  difficult  in  refpe^l  of 
our  C-lpacitiQs.  ForvY-c  are  not  greater  than  our  mafter," 

Irenaus,  lib.  ii,  c.  48. 

were 


(     2o6    y 

were  not  fo  much  canvaflcd,  or  become  Co 
familiarized  as  they  have  been  fincc.  Thefe 
apprehenlions,  I  am  convinced,  had  great 
fway  at  the  time,  and  not  any  worldly  retro- 
fpefts  or  motives,  by  which  I  was  never 
much  influenced.  And  befide,  I  had  then 
a  profp^dt  of  not  being  left  intirely  defti- 
tute  of  fupporty  if  I  had  gone  out  of  the 
church. 

But  I  did  not  enough  refled,  that  when 
unlawful  compliances  of  any  fort  are  requir- 
ed, the  firft  didlates  of  confcience,  which 
are  generally  the  righteft,  are  to  be  attend- 
ed to,  and  that  the  plain  road  of  duty  and 
uprightnefe,  will  always  be  round  to  lead  to 
the  trueflgood  intheend^  bec^ufe  it  is  that 
which  is  chalked  out  by  God  himfelf  *. 

—God 

*  Says  one  of  the  ejeded  minifters,  after  the  re- 
ftoration  in  1660,  Mr,  Oldjield  of  Carfington^  Derby 
/hire,  in  his  private  MS.  foliloquy  and  deliberation 
with  himfelf,  which  fell  into  Dr,  Calanif'^  hands'^ 
<  When  thou  canft  no  longer  continue  in  thy  work', 
without  difhonour  to  God,  difcredit  to  religion,- 
foregoing  thy  integrity,  wounded  confcience,  fpoil- 
ing  thy  peace,  and  hazarding  the  lofs  of  thy  falva- 
tion  ;  in  a  word,  when  the  conditions  upon  which 
thou  muft  continue  (if  thou  wilt  continue)   in  thy 

employ- 


[       20?      ) 

God  doth  not  need 

Either  man's  work,  or  his  own  gifts,  who  beft 
Bear  his  mild  yoak,  they  ferve  him  bcft  :    his  ftate 
Is  kingly.     Thoufands  at  his  bidding  fpeed 
And  poft  o'er  land  and  ocean  without  reft  ; 
Thy  alfo  ferve  who  only  Ji and  and  wait, 

Milton  y  Sonnet  xx". 

2.  Many  worthy  perfons,  and   fome  of 
my    own    acquaintance,     whofe   opinions 

varied 

employments  are  fmful,  and  unwarranted  by  the 
v/ord  of  God  ;  thou  mayeft,  yea,  thou  muft  be- 
lieve, that  God  will  turn  thy  very  filence,  fufpen- 
fion,  deprivation,  and  laying  afide,  to  his  glory  and 
the  advancement  of  the  gofpel's  intereft.  When 
God  will  not  ufe  thee  in  one  kind,  yet  he  will  in 
another.  A  foul  that  defires  to  ferve  and  honour 
him,  fhall  never  want  opportunity  to  do  it:  nor 
muft  thou  fo  limit  the  holy  One  of  Jfrael^  as  to 
think  he  hath  but  one  way  in  which  he  can  glorify 
himfelf  by  thee.  He  can  do  it  by  thy  filence,  as 
well  as  by  thy  preaching,  thy  laying  afide,  as  well 
as  thy  continuance  in  thy  work."  And  a  little  af- 
ter, towards  the  conclufion,  "  *Tis  not  pretence  of 
doing  God  the  greateft  fervice,  or  performing  the 
weightieft  duty,  that  will  excufethe  leaft  fin,  though 
that  fm  capacitated  or  gave  us  the  opportunity  for 
the  doing  that  duty.  ^  Thou  wilt  have  little  thanks, 
P  my  foul,  if  when  thou  art  charged  with  corrupt- 
ing 


(    2o8     ) 

varied  little  from  niincy  could  neverthe-^ 
lefs  fatisfy  themfelves  fo  as  to  remain;  iiij 
the  church  and  ofRciate  in  it.  Why  then, 
it  often  occurred  to  me,  and  others  did  not 
fpare  to  remonftrate;  why  muft  I  aions^ 
be  fo  Angularly  nice  and  fcrupulous,  as  not 
to  comply  with  what  wifer  and  better  ipeh 
could  accommodate  themfelves  io^  faut 
difturb  others,  and  diftrefs  myfelf,  by  en- 
thufiaftic  fancies,  purely  my  own,  bred 
in  gloomy  folitude,  which  by  time,  and 
the  free  communication  and  unfolding  of 
them  to  others,  might  be  difperfed  and 
removed,  and  give  way  to  a  more  chear- 
ful  and  enlarged  way  of  thinking  ?    It  was 

ing  God's  worfliip,  falfifying  thy  vows,  &c.  thou  pre- 
tendeft  a  neceffity  for  it,  in  order  to  a  contiun^nce 
in  the  miniftry,  &c."  __^  , 

Calamfsaccou?2t  (vol.  ii.  p.  175.)  of  mi?ilfters  \^ho 
fuffered  themfelves  to  be  cje£iedandftlenced^  to  the 
number  of  two  thoujand^  rather  than  fubmifto 
the  new  impofitions,  and  fubfcribe  and  conform 
to  the  liturgy  and  articles,  againft  their  confci- 
ences :  along  Viji^  that  does  honour  to  human  na- 
ture ;  and  to  our  own  country  in  particular,  which 
has  hitherto  taken  the  lead  in  the  refloration  of 
God's  true  religion:  for /^/t/(;//jf  held  up  the  light 
to  Luther  that  came  after  him  ;  and  may  England 
liill  hold  it  up  to  the  reft  of  the  nations  ! " 

worth 


C    209    ) 

worth  the  while  at  kaft  to  try  fuch  a  me- 
thod, and  not  rafhly  to  take  a  ftep  of  which 
I  might  long  repent. 

3.  It  was  fuggefted,   that  I  was  not  au- 
thor or  contriver  of  the   things  impofed 
and  complained  of.      All  I  did  was  minif- 
terial  only,    in  fubmiffion  to  civil  authori- 
ty,   which   is,   within  certain   limitations, 
the  authority  of  God  5  and  which  had  im- 
pofed thefe  things  only  for  peace  and  pub- 
lic good. — iThat  I  ought  not  only  to  leave 
my  benefice,   but  to  go  out  of  the  world, 
if  I  expefted  a  perfe<ft  ftate  of  things,    in 
which  there  was  no  flaw  or  hardfhip.— 
That   if  there  was  a  general   tendency  in 
what  was  eftabliflied  to  ferve  the  interefts 
of  virtue  and  true  religion,  I  ought  to  reft 
fatisfied,  and  wait  for  a  change  in  other  in- 
cidental matters  that  were  grievous  to  me, 
but  not  generally  felt  by  others. — That  in 
the  mean  time,    I   had  it  in  my  power  to 
forward   the    defired    v^'ork,    by   preparing 
men's  minds  for  it,    whenever  there  (hould 
l?e  a  difpofition  in  the  ftate  to  reftify  what 
was  amifs.     Therefore,  if  I  could   in  any 
way  of  interpretation,    reconcile  the  pre- 
fcribed  forms  with  the  fcripturc  in  my  own 

P  mind. 


(     ^^10       ) 

tnindi  and  make  myftlf  (safy,  lAvas^noton* 
ly  jiiftified,  but  to  be 'commended. 

Thefe  confiderations  all  together'were  of 
weight  to  divert  me  then  from  the  thought 
of  quitting  my  ftation  in' the  chufch,  and 
brought  me  in  timc.to  remaih  tolerably  quiet 
and  eafy  in  it.  Not  that  I  now.juftify  my- 
iclf  therein.  Yea,  rather  I  condemn  my- 
fclf.  But  as  I  have  humble  hope  of  the  di- 
vine forgivenefs,  let  not  men.be  too  rigid 
in  their  cenfuTcs :  let  thofe  only  bliime  and 
condemn,  v;ho  know  what  it  is  U  doubt-,  to 
be  in  perplexity  about  things  of  high  eft  im- 
portance; to  be  in  fear  of  caufelefsly  aba^- 
doninga  ftation  affigned by  Providence^  and 
being  found  idle  and  unprofitable,  when  the 
Great  Mafter  came  to  call  for  the  account 
cf  the  talent  received^ 

The  methods  I  took  to  fatisfy  my  ovv^n 
mind  were  thefe.  My  great  difficulty  was 
the  point  of  worfliip.  In  comparifon  with 
this*,  fubfcription  to  tb-e  articles,  however 

momentous 

.  '-^'^  The  petitioning  clergy  begun,  where  all  true 
reformation  mud  be^in,  in  feeking;  the.  abolition  of 
fubfcription.     For  until  this    foundation   belaid  /« 

desdi 


(      2U         ) 

momentous  in  itfelf,  gave  me  then  but  litilc 
concern.  For  as  the  devotions  of  the 
church  are  framed  in  drift  agreement  with 
the  articles,  and  correfpond  with  them  more 
cfpecially  in  Vv^hat  relates  to  religious  wor- 
fliip,  I  looked  upon  my  continuing  to  ofR- 
ciate   in  them  as  a  conftant  '"j/r/^^^/  repsti- 

deech  as  iveU  as  words,  that  nothing  In  the  articles 
or  liturgy  is  to  be  received  and  believed,  any  further 
than  it  is  agreeable  to  holy  fcripture,  you  are  tied 
down  to  acknowledge  another  rule  as  fuperior.  to 
Goid's  v/ord,  and  giving  law  to  it,  and  can  make 
no  reformation  but  in  conformity  with  the  articles 
and  liturgy  to  which  you  are  bound. 

However  earneilly  therefore  fome  of  the  peti- 
tioners might  wilh  for  annendments  in  many  things, 
they  did  not  think  k  became  tlifeni  to  prcpofe  any, 
left  it  fhould  be  thoucrht  arrop-atincr  to  themfelves 
an  authority  of  deciding  for  others  in  matters  of 
faith,  and  fetting  up  their  fenfe  of  holy  fcriplure  to 
he  followed  by  the  nation.  But  if  holy  fcrlpture 
was  once  cleiuly  and  authenticly  acknowledired  as 
the  only  rule  of  faith  and  dodlrlne,  and  no  declara- 
tion or  fubfcription  required  to  any  thing  elfe,  but 
fo  far  as  found  agreeable  with  that  rule,  they  knew 
that  Atnansfiaqifm,  Arianifm,  Socinianifm,  Calvi- 
iiifm,  PeLigianifm,  ajl  fedts  and  divihons  would 
drop  of  thctnfclves,  and  Chriftians  come  forth  into 
truth,  and  perfe<5l  liberty  and  peace. 

P  2  '  tion 


[      212      ] 

tion  of  my  fubfcriptlon  ;  and  therefore 
I  needed  not,  nor  did  decline,  the  j<^W  re- 
petition of  it,  when  occafion  ferved  : 
though  I  was  not  forward  in  feeking  fuch 
cccafions. 

I  brought  myfelf  to  confider  the  Trini-^ 
tarian  forms  in  the  liturgy,  and  the  invoca-^ 
tions  at  the  entrance  of  the  litany i  as  a  ///ri*^- 
yi/^reprefentation  of  the  One  God,  the  Fa- 
ther, governing  all  things  by  himfelf,  and 
by  his  Son,  and  Spirit;  and  as  a  threefold 
way  of  addreffing  him,  as  Creator  and  ori- 
ginal benevolent  caufe  of  all  things;  as  Re- 
deemer of  mankind  by  his  Son,  and  their 
Sand:ifier  by  his  Holy  Spirit. 

'This  was  the  famous  and  avowed  expli- 
cation of  the  Trinity,  publifhed  by  Dr. 
Wallis,  Savilian  profeflbr  of  mathematics 
in  Oxford,  which  was  well  received  by  the 
Univerfity,  when  Dr.  Sherlock^s  explication, 
that  there  were  three  infinite  diftind  minds 
and  fubftances  in  the  Trinity,  underwent  a 
public  cenfure. 

I  fhall give  it  in  the  Profeflbr's  ovvn  words, 
as  I  find  them  in  a  pamphlet  intitlcd,  *•  Con- 
fiderations  on  the  Explications  of  the  Doc- 
trine of  the  Trinity/'  p.  7,  1693. 

The 
8 


(      213      ) 

The  Unitarians  having  accufed  the  doc- 
tors of  the  church  of  maintaining,  that  there 
%yas  more  than  one  divine  perfon,  or  more 
than  one  perfon  who  is  true  and  moft  high 
God,  Dr,  Wallis  replies ; 

*'  This  reafoning  is  grounded  on  this 
•fiUy  miftake,  that  a  divine  perfon  is  as 
much  as  to  fay,  a  Divinity ^  or  a  God ; 
when  indeed  a  divine  perfon  is  only  a 
mode^  or  refpeBf  or  relation  of  God  to  his 
creatures.  He  beareth  to  his  creatures 
thefe  three  relations,  modes,  or  refpedts, 
that  he  is  their  Creator,  their  Redeemer, 
their  Saru3;ifier  :  this  is  what  wc  mean,  and 
all  that  we  mean,  when  we  fay  God  is  three 
perfons.  He  hath  thofe  three  relations  to 
his  creatures,  and  is  thereby  no  more  three 
Gods,  than  he  was  three  Gods  to  the  Jews, 
becaufe  he  calleth  himfelf  the  God  of 
Abrahan),  tt^e  God  of  Ifaac,  and  the  God  of 
Jacob/' 

I  took  all  opportunities,  and  have  done 
for  many  years,  both  in  public,  and  pri- 
vately, 'to  bear  my  teftimcny  to  this  great 
truth  of  holy  fcripture,  that  there  is  but 
one   Cod,   the  Father,   with  great   plain- 

P  3  nefs. 


{'    ^i'4     ) 

iie]^,^^n(3  witliobt  any  referve.  Butlptir- 
pcfelj^  fefrirned  from  the  ufe  of  thofe  techni- 
cal a^fcriptnral  namc^  Tnnity;  Pv?'/on,  Sub- 
Jla^nce,  and  the  like,  and  e\^ery  thing  that 
bore  the  air  of  controverfy,  in  the  pulpit  ; 
for  I  held  it  an  injury  to  my  hearers  to  wafte 
their  hours  of  public  religious  improve- 
ment in  any  thing  that  had  not  an  imme- 
diate connexion  with  a  virtuous  and  holy 
life,  to  which  it  was  my-  mod  earneft  defire 
and  eonflrant  endeavour  to  lead  them.  And  I 
hoped  I  was  laying  a  good  foundation  to 
build  on  for  thofc  that  came  after  me,  when 
the  rime  of  a  farther  reformation  fliould 
come  ;  and  that  I  might  thus*  innocently 
Ccntfnue^'  in  a  church  vvhere    there   were 

'■  many 

*  "  The  ilkiftrious  Father  Paul,  with  many 
other  Venetians,  about  the  beginning  of  the  laft  cen- 
tury, were  fadly  weary  of  the  corruptions  of  their 
worfhip  in  the  church  of  Rome,  and  groaning  for'  a 
reformation;  and  F.  Paul  in  particular  wiflied  to  have 
"  left  Venice  and  come  over  to  England  ;'  but  he  was 
fo  much  efteemed  by  the  fenate  for  his  great  Vv'if- 
dom,  that,  he  was  confulted  by  them  ars  an  or^cle^ 
and  trufted  with  their  moil  important  fecrets  j  fo  that 
he  faw  it  was  impoflible  for  h^m  to  attain  his  cojige, 
and  therefbre  he  made  a  fhift  to  comply  as  far  as  he 
could  with  their  eltabiiihed  way  of  worfliip^  but  he 

had 


(       215       ) 

many  things  I  difapproved,  and  wifhed  to 
have  amended,  as  I  knew  not  where  I  might 
be  in  any  degree  alike  ufeful. 

Thus  I  went  on  in  the  difcharge  of  my 
duty,  till  a  few  years  ago,  when,  from 
feme   providential  aw^akenings  *,   I  fecrelly 

but 

had  in  many  things  particular  methods,  by  v.-hich  he 
in  a  great  mcafure  rather  quieted  than  fiitisfied  his 
confcience.  In  faying  of  mafs,  he  pad  over  many 
parts  of  the  canon,  and  in  particuJar  thofe  prayers  in 
which  their  facrifice  v/as  offered  up  to  the  honour 
of  faints.  He  never  prayed  to  faints,  nor  joined  in 
thofe  parts  of  the  offices  that  v/ent  ag^inft  his  confci- 
ence ^  and  in  private  confeilions  and  difcourfes,  he 
took  people  .off  from  thefe  abufes,  and  gave  them 
right  notions  of  the  purity  of  the  Chrif}:ian  religion; 
fo  he  hoped  he  was  fowing"  feeds  tha^  might  be  fruit- 
ful in  another  age  :  and  thus  he  believed  he  might  live 
innocent  in  a  church  that  was  defiled.  And  when 
one  prefl  him  hard  in  this  matter,  and  obje6led  that 
he  ftill  held  communion  with  an  idolatrous  church, 
and  gave  it  credit  by  adhcrins:  outwardly  to  it,  by 
Vv'hich  means  others  that  depended  much  on  his  ex- 
ample would  be  likewife  encouraged  to  continue  in 
it:  all  theanfwer  he  made  to  this  was,  that  God  had 
not  giv^n  him  the  fpirh  of  Luther,'' 

■   Burnet's  Life  of  Bifhop  Bedell,  p.  i6,  17. 

*  "Sir  Edward  Atkins  (that  upright  chief  baron 

of  the  exchec^uer  w  evil  times)  at  the  Revolution,  hav- 

P4  .       ^  ing 


C    2'6    ) 

but  firmly  refolved  to  feek  an  opportunity 
to  relinquifli  a  fituation,  that  was  now  be- 
come not  very  fupportable  to  me. 

I  could  not  now  fatisfy  myfelf  with  Dr. 
Wallis's  and  the  like  foftenings  and  qualifi- 
cationsoftheTrinitarianformsintheliturgy. 
I  wondered  how  I  had  been  able  to  bring 
myfelf  to  imagine,  that  I  was  worjhipin^  the 
Father  infpirit  and  in  truths  John  i v..  23, 24. 
whilft  I  was  addreffing  two  other  perfons, 
God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghojiy  and 
imploring  favours  feverally  of  them  in  terms 
that  implied  their  perfonality  and  diftindl 
agency,  and  deity,  as  much  as  that  of  the 
Father. 

If  invocations  fo  particular,  language  fo 
exprefs  and  perfonal,  might  be  fifted  and  ex- 

ing  fome  fcruple  in  taking  the  new  oaths  himfelf, 
though  he  condemned  not  thofc  that  did  take 
them,  refigned  his  great  poft  out  of  a  principle  of 
confcience,  and  retired  into  the  country.  His  ufual 
faying  was,  when  he  was  difcourfed  with  about  this 
matter,  that  the  devil  (the  evil  confcience  within) 
was  bufy  with  men  on  their  death-beds;  and  there- 
fore he  would  keep  his  mind  free,  that  when  he  Jhould 
come  to  die,  he  might  have  no  doubts  and  fears  on  that 
account  tt  dijiurb  his  confcience.^* 

Life  of  Dean  Pridcaux,  p.  76. 

plained 


(      217      ) 

plained  away  into  prayer  to  one  God  only; 
I  might  by  the  like  fuppofals  and  interpre- 
tation bring  myfelf  to  deify  and  pray  to  the 
Virgin  Mary,  taking  her,  as  the  Papifts  do, 
to  be  now  alive  and  beatified  in  heaven j 
and  maintain  that  I  was  ftill  only  praying 
to  the  one  God,  who  was  thus  invoked  in 
his  creature  that  was  fo  nearly  united  to 
him. 

It  appeared  to  me  a  blameable  duplicity, 
that  whilft  I  was  praying  to  the  one  God  the 
Father,  the  people  that  beard  me,  were  led 
by  the  language  I  ufed,  to  addrefs  themfelves 
to  two  other  perfons,  or  diftindl  intelligent 
agents ;  for  they  would  never  fubtilize  fb 
far,  as  to  fancy  the  Son  and  Holy  Spirit  to 
be  merely  two  modes,  or  refpecfts,  or  rela- 
tions of  God  to  them. 

As  one  great  defign  of  Our  Saviour's  mif- 
fion  was  to  promote  the  knowledge  and  wor- 
fhip  of  the"  Father,  the  only  true  God,  as  he 
himfelf  tells  us,  John  xvii.  3.  I  could  not 
think  it  allowable  or  lawful  for  me,  on  any 
imagined  profpedl  of  doing  good,  to  be  in- 
ftrumtntal  in  carrying  on  a  worfhip,  which 
I  believed  diredily  contrary  to  the  mind  of 
Chrift,  and  condemned  by  him. 

If 


(      2l8      ) 

Mf  if  it  be  a  rule  in  morals,  qticd dubitas'^ne 
feceris  i'lth  ftill  more  evident,  that  we  are 
not  to  do  any  thing  that  ^jdc  know  to  be  evil, 
no,  not  to  procure  the  ' great ejl  good,  Rom. 
iii.  8.  For  God  does  not  want  my  finful 
ac5l.  It  would  be  improns  to  i^jppofe,  that 
he  cannot  carry  on  his  government,  and 
promotethe  felicity  of  his  creatures,  with- 
out it.  And  although  in  his  providence 
he  may  bring  good  out  of  my  evil,  he  will 
not  let  the  doer  of  it  go  unpunished.  And 
if  any  thing  be  evil  and  odious  in  his  fight, 
prevarication  and  falfhood  is  fuch  ;  and 
moftof  all  an  habitual  courfe  thereof  in  the 
moft  folemn  adt  a  creature  can  be  engaged 
in,  the  vt^orfliip  of  him,  the  holy,  all-fee- 
ing God.  ' 

It  is  related  in  tlie  life  of  archbifhop 
Tillotfon,  that  his  friend  Mr.  Nellon  hav^ 
ing  confulted  him  by  letter  from  the 
Hague,  in  the  year  1691,  with  regard  to 
the  pracftice  of  thofe  nonjurors,  w^ho  fre- 
quented the  churches,  and  yet  profeffed 
that  they  did- not  join  in  the'  prayers  for 
their  majeftici  *  s    "As  to  the  cafe  you 

^  Birch's  Life  of  Archbifhop  Tillotfon^  p.  259. 

DUt, 


(      219       ) 

put,  replied  his  Grace,  I  wonder  men 
fhonld  be  divided  in  opinion  about  it.  I 
think  it  is  plain,  that  no  man  can  join  ia 
prayers,  in  which  there  is  any  petition, 
which  he  is  verily  perfuaded  is  finful.  / 
cannot  eiidure  a  trick  any  wbere^  much  lefs  in 
*  religion  J* 

The  archbifhop  may  be  held  by  fome  to 
be  too  fevere  a  cafuift.  But  if  it  was  his 
.opinion,  that  a  man  v^ho,  after  the  Revolu- 
tion continued  attached  to  the  late  king 
James,  could  not  confiftently  or  honeftly 
frequent  a  communion  of  Chriftians 
where  their  majefties  king  William  and 
queen  Mary  were  prayed  for;  what  w^ould 
he  have  replied,  thought  I  often  with  my- 
felf,  in  the  cafe  of  one  who  was  not 
barely  prefent,  but  was  the  mouth  of  the 
congregation  in  offering  up  prayers  to 
God,  which  were  believed  to  be  deroga- 
tory and  injuri6us  to  his  peerlefs  majeily 
and  incommunicable  perfe(5lions,  and,  in 
the  mind  of  the  offerer,  a  falfe  and  unwor- 
thy repreiehtation  of  him  to  others?  This 
feemed  a  trick  in  religion,  which  the  hoheft 
hiind  of  that  prelate  would  have  ftill  lefs 
■  ^ndured, 

■  From 


(       220       ) 

From  the  firft  that  I  engaged  with  the 
afTociatcd  clergy  for  procuring  the  removal 
of  fubfcription  to  formularies  of  faith  and 
dodrine  drawn  up  by  fallible  men,  I  fore- 
faw,  that  if  no  relief  was  obtained,  nor 
any  profpe<fl  opened  of  a  reformation  of  the 
liturgy  with  regard  to  the  great  objecfl  of 
worfhip,  or  of  a  difpofition  to  indulge  a  lati- 
tude to  private  perfons  to  make  difcretion-r 
ary  alterations  in  it  for  themfelves,  by  the 
exprefs  rule  of  holy  fcripture  \  it  would  cer- 
tainly terminate  as  to  myfelf  in  a  r^fignation 
of  my  office  in  the  church  ;  and  I  thought 
this  would  be  a  fitting  feafon  for  it^ 

The  fervice  done  to  Chrift's  true  religion 
by  the  clergy  affociation  and  petition  to 
parliament,  has  been  great  and  wide  fpread, 
notwithftanding  it  failed  of  immediate  fuc- 
cefs  in  its  primary  obje^.  A  fpirit  of  in- 
genuous enquiry  has  been  ftirred  up  by  i^ 
in  the  minds  of  many.  The  holy  fcrip- 
tures  have  been  feen  and  acknowledged  tQ 
be  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  confcience  to 
Chriftian  men ;  and  there  is  alfo,  in  confc- 
quence  of  this,  a  very  general  acknow- 
ledgment among  all  ranks,  that  there  are 
fome  things  extremely  wrong  in  our  cfta- 

blifhment, 


(      221      ) 

blifliment,  particularly  as  it  refpedts  thtf 
yoak  of  fubfcription,  and  the  reftraint  the 
clergy  are  laid  under  in  their  miniftrations, 
and  in  declaring  the  mind  and  will  of  God 
to  the  people. 

But  nothing,  it  muft  be  owned,  has  hi- 
therto turned  out  favourable  from  it,  with 
regard  to  the  great  object  of  worfiipy  and  a 
fcriptural  reform  of  the  liturgy  with  re- 
gard to  it.  Many  perfons  in  our  church, 
known  to  be  ill  at  eafe  on  this  point,  but 
unconneftcd  with  the  petitioners,  flattered 
thcmfelves,  that  the  nation's  eyes  were 
opening,  that  we  were  coming  to  a  better 
temper,  and  that  things  were  working  to- 
wards a  happy  change  in  this  important 
article.  Moft  true  it  is  indeed,  and  I  have 
found  it  by  large  experience,  that  the 
gofpel  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  one 
true  God,  .and  the  worfliip  to  be  paid  to 
him  only,  as  taught  by  Jefus  Chrift,  has 
long  been  fpreading  its  beautiful  ray  through 
the  Britifli  nations,  fo  that  many  of  all 
ranks  begin  to  fee  with  concern  the  flrik" 
ing  oppofition  betwixt  our  public  forms  of 
worfhip  and  thofe  laid  down  in  the  w^ord  of 

God  J 


(       222       ) 

God  ;  and  a  reformed  liturgy  in  this  refpc<J|-; 
whcfe  conformity  to  holy  fcriptu re,  could 
rio!t.:bj9t  inftantly;  iapprove  itfejf  to  them, 
would  be  gladly  rpc-eiyjed  and'  admitted, 
with  a  very  general  confent.  But  the  fault 
lies  not  here.  It  has  appeared  in  the  oppo- 
iition  made  to  the  petitioning;  clergy  from 
thergrefs,  that  not  only  thofc;  from  whorn 
it  flight  be  expeded,  bu;i  fotne  thai  werd 
before'  efteemed  of  a  more  liberal  caft^  have 
fhewn  a  difpofitioa  very  contrary  to  the 
making  or  admitting  of  atiy  reformation  in 
our  unfcriptural  forms  of  worfhip.  And 
declarations  of  the  like  import  are  faid  to 
have  fallen  from  their  fuperiors  in  fl:ill 
higher  place* 

■-la  this' {late  of  thing?,  therefore,  I  had 
no  choice  iefr,  but  either  to  chafige;  the 
pablicXenvice  of  the  cherch,  and  make  it 
fuch  as  1  coiiid  cbnfcientioiufly  officiate  in  $ 
or  quietly  to  retire.".     •    ' 

I  could  not  reconcile  myfelf  to  the  for- 
mer, becaufe  I  looked  upon  the  declaration 
of  conformity  and  fubfcriptlon  at  inftituticn 
to  be  fuch  folemn  ties,  that  I  could 
not   be  eafy  under  fo  great   a  violation  of 

them 


t  223  ) 

ihem  ^.  For  t  mufi:  have  adopted  all  tbofe 
above-mentioned,  as  Dr.  Ciarkie's  amend- 
nieius,  or  ^veJi'  more;*  which  waold  hive 
been -raaking  almoft  a.njev/  kwicQ  of  xi^jii,  i 
But  could  I  have  brought  my  oxvn  mind 
io  it,  there  were  fome  thl'ngs  in  njy  fituation^ 
*^iri  fo  large  a  parilli,  with  three  chapels  in 
it,  which  would  have  made  fach  a  change 
imptad:lcable.  Not  to  mention  dfo,  that 
when  incapacitated  by  ficknefe^jonremaved 
by  death,  the  people  in  albprohafbiihy  rgtuS: 
have  returned  back  to  their  old  forms  agairx" 
In  (hort,  fuch  an  attempt  wauld  have 
been  likely^  in  my  place,  to  have  prodjuced 
'much  con fufion  and  perplexity,  to- fay  the 
Jeaft :  and  I  c-onldnot  fee  any  adequate  reli^ 
gious  improvement  or  edification  among 
ifvy  people,  hkelyto  arife  fromit ;  thti  only 

*  The  following  is  the  form  of  the  engagement  to 

conformity  at. inftitutlon  to  a  living  before  the  bilhop. 

*'  I  do  declare  that  I  will  conforni  to  the  liturgy 

"  of  the  church  of  England,    as  it  is  now  by 

"  law  edabliflied.  A.  B. 

.,    .~^^^\  This  (dc^clarationwas  made  and  fubfcribed  be- 

''  fore>me,  by  the  faid  A^  B.  to  be  admitted  aad  in- 

*'  ftituted  into  the  redlory  or  vlcara2;e  of in 

'  "the    county    of in     the   year  of    Our  Lord 

"-*-» — ,     and     in  the  — — -   year  of   our  confecra- 

iufti- 


(       ^24      ) 

juftifiable  end  of  making  fuch  a  change^ 
and  flaying  with  them* 

Upon  the  moft  calm  and  ferious  delibe- 
ration, therefore,  and  weighing  of  every 
circumftance,  I  am  obliged  to  give  up  my 
benefice,  whatever  I  fuffer  by  it,  unlefs  I 
would  lofe  all  inward  peace  and  hope  of 
God's  favour  and  acceptance  in  the  end. 
Somewhat  of  a  tendency  to  an  iffue  of 
this  fort,  my  friends  may  have  occafion- 
ially  obferved,  or  recoUedled  to  have  been 
dropt  in  converfaiion,  or  by  letter  :  but  I 
refrained  from  naming  it  diredlly,  and 
thought  it  became  me  to  be  filent  till  the 
time  approached,  as  tny  reafons  were  not 
another's  j  nor  my  condudt  a  rule  for 
their's ;  nor  did  I  know,  or  believe,  that 
anv  one  had  fuch  cogent  motives  to  leave 
his  ftation  and  miniftrations  in  the  church 
as  I  had. 

The  example  of  an  excellent  perfon,  now 
living  at  Wolverhampton,  Dr.  Robertfoni 
has  been  a  fecret  reproach  to  me  ever  fincc 
I  heard  of  it.  For  I  thought,  and  perhaps 
juftly,  .that  he  might  not  have  all  thofe 
reafons  of  diflike  to  our  eftabliflied  forms 
of  worship  that  I  had  ;  and,  though  my- 
felf  not  without  unknown  ftraits  and  diffi- 
culties 


(    "5    ) 

culties  to  ftruggle  \^ith^  and  nof  alon'einvoh^ 
cd  ia  them,  yet  have  I  not  ^//  thoib  diiiua- 
fives  and   difcouragtments    that    he  paints 
forth  in  his  afFeding  letter  to  the  bifliop  of 
Ferns,  rubjoinedtohisinftrudive  and  learn-  ■ 
ed  work,    and  which  I  (hall  take  leave    to"^ 
infert  as  an  ornament  and  fuitable  conclu-^' 
fion  of  my  fiibjed  and  book. 

"■  In  debating  this  matter  with  my- 

felf  (fays  that  worthy  man)  befides  the  argu- 
ments diredly  to  the  purpofe,  feveral  flrong 
collateral  confiderations  came  in  upon  the 
pofitive  fide  of  the  queftion.  The  freight- 
nefs  of  my  circumftances  preiTed  me  clofe  :  a 
numerous  family,  quite  unprovided  for^ 
pleaded  with  the  moil:  pathetic  and  moving 
eloquence.  And'the  infirmities  and  wants  of 
age,  now  coming  fail:  upon  rtie,  were  urged 
feelingly.  Bat  one  iingle  coniideration  pre- 
vailed over  all  thefe. — fThat  the  Creator  a?2d 
Governor  cf  the  unroerfe,  ivhcm  it  is  my  Jirjl 
duty  to  worJJjip  and  adore,  being  the  God  of 
truths  it  miiji  be  difagreeabk  to  him  toprofefs, 

Jubfcribei  or  declare  Jn  any  matter  relating  to 
his  worjldip  and fervice,  what  is  not  believed 

Jlrictiy  and/imply  to  be  true  *," 

*  Attempt  to  explain  the  words  reafin,  fuhjlance^ 
&c.  p.  241.      London,   ly^S. 

Q^  AP- 


[      226      ] 

APPENDIX. 

Number     I  *. 

JOHN  fox's  letter  TO  QUEEN  ELIZABETH,  TO 
DISSUADE  HER  FROM  BURNING  TWO  DUTCH  A- 
NACBAPTISTS  FOR  HERESY  IN  SMITHFIELD.   I575. 


SERENISSIMA  beatiffima  princeps, 
regina  ilhiftriffima,  patriae  decus,  fx- 
culi  ornamentum  !  Ut  nihil  ab  animo  meo 
omnique  expedlatione  abfuit  longius  quam 
ut  majeftatis  tuse  ampliffimam  excellentiam 
niolefla  unquam  interpellatione  obturba- 
rem  ;  ita  vehementer  dolet  filentium  hoc, 
quo  had:enus  conftanter  fum  ufus,  non  ea- 
dem  conftantia  perpetuo  tueri  ita  ut  vole- 
bam  licuifle.  Ita  nunc  praeterfpem  ac  opi- 
nionem  meam  nefcio  quainfclicitate  evenit, 
ut  quod  omnium  volebam  minime,  id  con- 
tra me  maxime  faciat  hoc  tempore.  Qui 
cum  ita  vixerim  hucufque,  ut  moleftus  fue- 
rim  nemini,  invitus  nunc  cogor  contra  na- 
turam  principi  etiam  ipfi  effe  importunus, 
non  re  ulla  aut  caufa  mea,  fed  alicna  in- 
dudus  calamitate.  Qnas  quo  acerbior  fit  ec 
ludtuofior,   hoc  acriores   mihi  addit  ad  de- 

*  See  page  47, 

precandum 


(      227      3 

precandum  ftimulos.  '  Nonnullos  intelligo 
in  Angiia  hie  effe  non  Anglos,  fed  adventi- 
tios,  Belgas  quidem  opinor,  partim  viros, 
partim  feminas,  nuper  ob  improbata  dog- 
mata in  judicium  advocate?.  Qnorum  ali- 
quot fciliciter  redudi  publica  luerunt  poeni- 
tentia;  complures  in  exilium  funt  condeni- 
nati,  idquc  redliflime  meo  judicio  factum 
effe  arbitror.  Jam  ex  hoc  nnmero  unum 
effe  aut  alterum  audio,  de  quibus  ultimum 
exuftionis  fupplicium  (nifi  fnccurrat  tua 
pietas)  ^brevi  eft  ftatuendum.  Qua  una  in 
re  duo  contineri  perfpicio,  quorum  alte- 
rum ad  errorum  pravitatem,  Siterum 
ad  fupplicii  acerbitatem  adtinef.  Ac  er- 
;  roribus  quidem  ipfis  nihil  pofiit  abfurdius 
effe,  fanus  nemo  eft  qui  dubitar,  miror- 
que  tam  fxda  opinionum  portenta  in  quof- 
quam  potuiffe  Chriftianos  cadere.  Sed  ira 
h abet  hum an-a3  infirmitatis  conditio,  li  di- 
vina  paululum  luce  deftituti  nobis  relin- 
quimur,  quo  non  rulmus  prsccipites  ?  At- 
que  hoc  nomine  Chrifto  gratias  qiiam 
maximas  habco,  quod  Anglorum  hodie 
neminem  huic  inlanice  affineii)  video.  Qviod 
igitur  ad  phanaticas  iftas  Iciflas  auinet,  eas 
certe  in  rconblica  r.uilo  modo  fovendas 
effe,     fed    idonca    cumprimcndas    correc- 

0^2  lione 


(       228       ) 

tione  cenfec.  Verum  enim  vero  ignibu$ 
ac  flammis  pice  ac  fulphure  sftuantibus 
viva  miferorum  corpora  torrefacere,  judicir 
magis  coecitate  quam  impetu  voluntatis 
errantium,  durum  iftud  ac  Romani  ma- 
gis exempli  efCc  quam  evangelicas  con- 
fuetudinis  videtur,  ac  plane  ejufmodi,  ut 
nifi  a  Romanis  pontificibus,  authore  In- 
nocentio  tertio,  primum  profluxiffet,  nun- 
quam  iftum  Perilli  taurum  quifquam  in 
mitem  Chrifti  ecclefiam  importaviilet. 
Non  quod  maleficiis  deledler,  aut  errori- 
bus  cujufquam  faveam,  didla  hsc  efle  ve- 
Km  ^  vitse  hominum,  ipfe  homo  cum  fim, 
faveo  ;  ideoque  faveo,  non  ut  erret,  fed 
ut  refipifcat:  ac  ncque  hominum  folum,. 
utinam  et  pecudibus  ipfis  opitulari  poffem. 
Ita  enim  fum,  (ftulte  fortaflis  hsc  de  meip« 
fo,  at  vere  dico,)  macellum  ipfum,  ubi 
ma(5tantur  etiam  pecudes,.  vix  prstcreo^ 
quin  tacito  qucdam  doloris  fenfu  mens  re- 
fugiat,  Atque  equidem  in  eo  Dei  ipfius- 
valde  admirer,  venerorque  toto  pedore 
clementiam,  qui  in  jumentis  illis  brutis  et 
abjedis,  qus  facrificiis  dim  parabantur,.  id 
profpexerat,  ne  prius  ignibus  mandarentur 
<juam  fanguis  eorum  ad  bafim  altaris  efFun- 

ceretur 


(      229        ) 

deretur.  Unde  difceremus^,  in  exigendis 
fuppliciis,  quamvis  juftis,  non  quid  omnino 
rigori  liceat,  fed  ut  dementia  fimul  adhibi- 
ta  rigoris  temperet  afperitatem. 

Quamobrem  fi  tantum  mihi  apud  prin- 
cipis  tanti  majeftatem  audere  liceret  fup- 
j^Iex  pro  Chriflo  rogarem  cletnentiffiniam 
hanc  regise  fublimiiatis  exccUentiam,  pro 
authoritate  hac  mea  (lege  tua)  qua  ad  vi- 
tam  multorum  confecrandum  pellere  (/. 
confervandam  pollere)  te  divina  volult  de- 
mentia, ut  vits  fi  fieri  poffit,  (quid  enim 
non  poflet  iis  in  rebus  authoritas  tua  ?)  mi- 
ferorum  parcatur,  faltetn  ut  horrori  obfif- 
tatur,  atque  in  aliud  quodcunque  commu- 
tetur  fupplicii  genus.  Sunt  ejedliones,  in- 
dufiones  retrufe,  funt  vincula,  funt  per- 
petua  exilia,  funt  fligmata  et  TrXviyfitxTx  aut 
etiam  patibula  J  id  unum  valde  deprecor, 
ne  piras  ac  flammas  Smithfieldianas  jam 
diu  faufriflimis  tuis  aufpiciis  hue  ufque  fo- 
pitas,  iinas  nunc  recandefcerc.  Quod  li 
ne  id  quidem  obtineri  poffit,  id  faltem 
omnibus  fupplicandi  modis  efflagito, 
riro  TO  TreXcc^yizov  ped:oris  tui  implorans,  ut 
inenfem  tamen  unum  aut  alterum  nobis 
concedas,    quo  interim  experiamur,    an   a 

0^5  .        ^     P^"- 


{   230   ) 

periculofis  erroribus  dederit  dominus  ut 
refanefcant,  ne  cum  corporuai  jadlura,  ani- 
mas  pariter  cum  corporibus  de  ;£terno  peri- 
clitentur  exitio  ^. 


.     *  Fuller's  Church  Hiftory  of  Britain. — p.  104^ 


N  tr  M  B  E  R 


(     231     ) 

N    U    M    B    E    R       II  *. 

A  CONFESSION  OF  FAITH  OF  THE  WALPENEES,  EX- 
TRACTED OUT  OF  CHARLES  DU  MOULIN  DE  LA 
MON.    DES    FRANCOIS,   p.  65. 

A  R  T  I  C  L  E       I. 

WE  believe,  that  there  is  but'  One 
God,  that  he  is  a  Spirit,  Cre'atour 
of  all  things,  God  of  all,  who  is  over  all 
and  through  all,  and  in  us  all, --who 
ought  to  be  worfliiped  in  fpirit  aod  in 
truth,  whom  alone  we  ferve,  and  to  whom 
we  give  the  glory  of  our  life,  food,  rai- 
ment, health,  ficknefs,  profperity,  and  ad- 
verfity;  and  we  love  him  as  one  who 
knoweth  our  hearts. 

ART.       2.  " 

We  believe  that  Jefus  Chrijl  is  the  vSon 
and  image  of  the  Father.  That  in  him 
dwells  all  the  fullnefs  of  the  Godhead  ^ 
by  whom  we  have  knowledge  of  the.  Fa- 
ther. That  he  is  our  Mediator  and  Ad- 
vocate. And  that  there  is  no  other  name 
under  hreaven  given  unto  men,  by  which 
we  can  be   faved  ;  in  whofe  name   alone 

*   See  page  175. 

0^4  we 


i  n^  ) 

we  call  uDon  the  Father,  and  ufe  no  other 
prayers  than  thcfe  which  are  contained  in 
the  holy  fcripture,  of  fach  other  as  arc  con-* 
formible  to  them  for  fubftance. 

ART.  3. 
We  believe  that  the  Hbly  Spirit  is  our 
Comforter,  proceeding  from  the  Father  and 
the  Son  ;  by  whofe  infpiration  we  make 
pur  prayers,  being  by  him  renewed,  v/ha 
works  in  us  all  goods  works,  and  by  whoni 
we  h^ve  the  knowledge  of  all  truths. 

ART.      4. 

We  believe  that  there  is  one  holy  church, 
which  is  the  congregation  of  all  the  eleft 
and  faithful  ones  from  the  very  beginning 
of  the  world  to  the  end,  whereof  our  Savi- 
our Chriil:  is  the  head  :  the  which  is  govern- 
ed by  his  word,  and  conducfted  by  his  fpirit, 
wherewith  all  good  Chriftians  ought  to 
hold  communion  :  for,  fhe  prays,  for  all 
without  ceafing,  and  the  word  which  (he 
hath  is  agreeable  to  God  himfelf;  without 
which  church  no  rnaq  pan  be  faved. 

ART.      5, 

We  hold  that  the  minifters  of  the 
f:hurch,  as  Bifliops  and  Paftours,    ought  to 

be 


(     233     ) 

be  irreprehenfible,  as  well  in  their  life  as 
dodlrine.  And  that  otherwife  they  ought 
to  be  deprived  of  their  offices,  and  others 
fubftituted  in  their  places.  As  likewife, 
that  none  ought  to  prefume  to  take  upon 
him  this  honour,  but  he  who  is  called  by 
GoJ,  as  was  Aaron,  feeding  the  flock  of 
God,  not  for  the  fake  of  difhoneft  gain,  nor 
as  having  any  lordfhip  over  the  clergy,  but 
as  being  fincerely  an  example  to  his  flock, 
in  word,  in  converfation,  in  charity,  in 
faith,  and  in  chafl:ity. 

ART.       ()', 

Weconfefs,  that  kings,  princes,  and  go- 
vernours,  are  ordained  and  eftabliflied  as 
minifl:ers  of  God,  whom  we  ought  to'obey. 
For  they  bear  the  fword  for  defence  of  the 
innocent,  and  for  the  puniihment  of  evil 
doers,  for  which  caufe  we  are  bound  to 
give  them  honour,  and  to  pay  them  tri- 
bute ;  from  whofe  power  none  can  exempt 
himfelfj  it  being  likewiTe  forbidden  by 
our  Lord  Jefus  Chrifl:,  who  was  wilhng  to 
pay  tribute,  not  pretending  jurifdidtion 
pver  the  temporal  powers. 

6  .We 


.  (    234    ) 

ART.       7. 

We  believe,  that  in  the  facrament  of 
haptifm,  v/ater  is  the  vifibic  and  external 
fign,  which  reprefents  unto  us  that  which 
(by  the  invifible  virtue  of  God  operating)  is 
within  US;  namely,  the  renovation  of  the 
fpirit,  and  the  mortification  of  our  mem- 
bers in  Jefus  Chrift;  by* which  alfo  we  are 
received  into  the  holy  congregation  of  the 
people  of  God,  there  protefting  and  declar- 
ing openly  our  faith  and  amendment  of 
life. 

ART.       8. 

We  hold,  that  the  holy  facrament  of  the 
table  or  fupper  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrifl:  is 
an  holy  commemoration  and  giving  of 
thanks  for  the  benefits  which  we  have  re- 
ceived by  his  death  and  paflion  ;  that  we 
ought  to  afiemble  together  in  faith  and  cha- 
rity, examining  ourfelves,  and  to  eat  of  that 
bread,  and  communicate  of  that  his  bloody 
in  the  very  fame  manner  as  he  hath  pre- 
fcfibsd  in  the  holy  fcripture. 

A  R  T.     9, 

We  confefs  that  marriage  is  good,  ho- 
nourable, holy,  and  inflituted  by  God  him- 

fdf; 


{    235    ) 

felf ;  which  ought  not  to  b;>  prohibited  to 
any  perfon,  provided  that  there  be  no  hin- 
drance fpecified  by  the  word  of  God. 


ART.      10. 


We  confefs,  that  thofe  who  fear  God 
*  follow  thofe  things  which  are  well  pleaf- 
ing  to  him,  and  do  thofe  works  which 
he  hath  prepared  to  the  end  that  we  fliould 
walk  in.  them  ;  which  are  love,  joy,  peace, 
patience,  meeknefs,  goodnefs,  brotherly 
kindnefs,  temperance,  and  other  the  like 
works  contained  and  commended  in  the 
holy  fcriptures. 


ART      II, 


On  the  contrary,  we  confefs  that  we 
ocght  to  take  heed  and  beware  of  falfe 
teachers,  whofe  fcope  and  aim  is  to  turn 
the  people  afide  from  the  true  worfliip, 
which  belongs  to  our  only  God  and  Lord, 
and  to  lean  upon  creatures,  and  to  truft  in 
them :  as  like  wife  to  forfake  thofe  good 
works  which  are  contained  and  required  in 
the  holy  fcriptures,  and  to  do  thofe  which 
are  only  invented  by  men. 

Wc 


(    236    ) 

ART.      12. 

We  hold  for  the  rule  of  our  faith,  the 
Old  and  New  Teftament,  and  agree  to  the 
general  confeffion  of  faith,  with  the  ar- 
ticles contained  in  the  Apoftles  Creed, 
namely,  **  I  believe  in  God  the  Father 
Alniighty,"  &c  *. 

*  Morland's  hiftory  of  the  evangelical  churches 
of  the  valleys  of  Piedmont,  p.  37. 


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FAREWELL    ADDRESS,  &c. 


this  Day  is  Puhlijhed^  Price  Three  Shillings,, 
THE 

APOLOGY 

O    F 

THEOPHILUS   LINDSEY,    M.  A, 

ON  RESIGNING  THE 
VICARAGE  OF  CATTERICK,    YORKSHIRE. 

Printed     for   J.   Johnson,    No.    72,    in  St.  Paul's 
Church  Yard.     1 7 74. 


A  FAREWELL  ADDRESS 

TO      THE 

PARISHIONERS    of    CATTERICK, 
BY    THEOPHILUS    LINDSEY,   M.  A. 


London:   Printed  for  J.  Johnson, 

^  No.  72,  St.  Paul's  Church -yard. 

M  DCCLXXIV. 

[Price  Six-pence.] 


ADVERTISEMENT. 

THIS    fmall    Tra£t    was   drawn    up 
folely  for  the  ufe  of  a   country-pa- 
rifli,  and  never  intended  to  go  beyond  it : 

But  the  kind  reception  it  met  with 
there,  from  an  aitedionate  and  grateful 
people,  and  their  entering  fo  intirely  into 
the  caufe  and  fubjedt  of  it;  added  to  the 
fuggeftion  of  ferious  friends,  that  it  might 
be  of  fome  general  ufe,  has  been  an  in- 
ducement to  make  it  more  public. 


(   5   ) 


*     My  BrethreUy  and  Fellow  Chrijlians^ 

IT  will  be  natural  for  you  to  inquire, 
ho  w  it  fhould  come  to  pafs,  that  a 
minifler,  with  whom  you  have  lived  on 
the  befl  terms,  (hould  leave  you  and  a  iitu- 
tion  many  ways  agreeable  and  beneficial 
to  him,  not  only  without  any  profped  of 
preferment,  the  ufual  motive  for  fuch 
changes,  but  the  contrary. 

♦  As  far  as  I  can  judge  of  myfelf,  fince  I 
came  among  you,  no  preferment  would 
have  tempted  me  to  a  change  5  and  I  have 
affuredly  never  fought  any  other  :  but  here 
I  thought  quietly  to  have  ended  my  days. 

It  hath  pleafed  God  in  his  providence 

to  order  it  othervvife.     And  his  commands 

B  are 


■        (   6    ) 

are  to  be  obeyed,  and  his   will    preferred, 
before  every  earthly  conlideration  or  ad*^ 
vantage. 

You  are  many  of  you  no  ftrangers  to 

the  caufe  of  my  fliort  abfences  from  you 

at  diff'erent  times,  thefe  two  or  three  years 

paft.     You   have  heard  that  there  was  a 

defign  fet  on  foot  to  move  our  governors, 

to  lighten  fome  burdens  that  are  laid  upon 

clergymen,  when  they  enter  upon  a  cure 

of  fouls,  in  requiring  them  to  fubfcribe 

to  the  xxxix  articles  of  our  church,  and 

declare  their   approbation  of  every   thing 

in    the   common-prayer    book   as    being 

agreeable  to  the  word  of  God. 

The  requefl  humbly  made  to  parlia- 
ment was,  that  we  might  be  required  to 
fubfcribe  to  nothing  but  the  Bible,  the 
word  of  God,  and  not  to  the  articles,  or 
any  form  of  prayer  or  worfhip  drawn  up 
by  fallible  men.      And  I  have  no  doubt 

but 


(   7   ) 

but  you  of  yourfelves  would  think  thi^ 
fufHcient,  and  that,  as  your  rniniflers  are 
to  teach  you  nothing  but  the  pure  word 
of  God,  they  ought  not  to  be  put  upoa 
fubfcribing  to  any  thing  elle. 

But  you  are  farther  to  know,  that 
pme  engaged  in  this  petition  to  parlia- 
ment, and  myfelf  among  the  reft,  in  hope 
that  it  would  lead  alfo  to  an  amendment 
of  many  things  in  our  liturgy  or  coirimon^ 
prayer  book. 

You  will  carefully  diftinguifli  here, 
that  our  holy  religion  itfelf,  the  religion 
of  Chrift,  can  never  be  amended.  I'ha, 
is  always  invariably  the  fame;  always 
moft  perfect:  and  compleat;  and  is  con- 
tained in  the  infpired  writings  of  the  New 
Xcftament, 

But  the  religion  which  men  have  made 
out  of  it,  whether  contained  in  the  com- 
mon-prayer book,  or  any  other  book,  this 
B  2  will 


(   8   ) 

will  be  liable  to  errors  and  imperfedlons, 
and  often  want  amendment. 

And  thus  at  the  reformation  from  po- 
pery, when  our  forefathers  afferted  the 
fufficiency  of  holy  fcripture  unto  falva- 
tion,  and  their  right  of  interpreting  it  for 
themfelves ;  they  purged  out  of  their  li- 
turgy or  common-prayer  book  many  ido- 
latrous and  fuperflitious  praftices,  fuch  as 
praying  to  faints,  viz.  dead  men  and  women-, 
fraying  to  the  mafi-Gody  or  the  bread  in  the 
facrament  \  praying  in  Latins  the  life  of  oil 
and  fpittle  in  baptifm ;  extreme  undiion,  or 
anointing  dying  perfons  with  oil;  lighting  up 
candles  on  Candlemas-day  ;  marking  the  fore- 
head with  afies  on  Jjlo-Wednefday  ;  with 
many  the  like  idle  fopperies  and  trumpery,, 
which  are  ftill  retained  among  the  Papifts, 
who  are  in  no  fmall  number  in  your  own 
pari(h,  againft  whofefediicing  arts  I  beg  you 
fo  be  continually  upon  your  guards 


(  9  ) 
Endeavours  have  been  ufed,  under 
feveral  of  our  princes  fince,  to  render  our 
common-prayer  book  more  ftridtly  agreea- 
ble to  the  holy  fcriptures,  than  it  could 
be  all  at  once  at  its  firft  compofing.  And 
particularly  about  fourfcore  years  ago,  at 
"the  revolution,  with  the  countenance  of 
thofe  pious  princes^  King  William  and 
Queen  Mary,  many  great  and  excellent 
men,  Archbifbop  Tillotfon^  Bifliops  Pa- 
tricky  Burnet 9  and  others,  begun  the  good 
work,  and  made  great  progrefs  in  it ;  but 
through  the  violent  oppofition  of  fome 
fadious  perfons,  it  came  to  nothing.  From 
that  time  to  this,  no  attempts  have  been 
made,  nor  any  thing  done  by  public  au- 
thority ;  through  fear^  perhaps,  of  creat- 
ing difturbances  in  the  ftate.  Although, 
vvhenever  the  experiment  is  made,  I  doubt 
not  but  it  will  be  found,  that  an  improved 
liturgy,  brought  nearer  the  ftandard  of 
jioly  fcripture,  would  be  generally  accep- 
table 


(   lo  ) 

table  to  the  nation,  and  contribute  to  the 
public  peace,  as  well  as  to  the  promotion 
of  true  religion. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  errors  that  call 
for  amendment  in  the  common-prayer 
book,  give  great  pain  toferious  confiderate 
men,  zealous  for  the  purity  of  God's  wor- 
fhip*  Leffer  miftakes  and  faults  in  hu- 
man things  ought  furely  to  be  borne  with  ; 
for  there  is  nothing  perfedt  here  belovy* 
But  where  a  man  efteems  any  thing  con- 
trary to  God's  word,  and  linful,  though 
others  may  not  fo  efteem  it,  he  cannot, 
confidently  with  integrity,  comply  with  it. 

In  this  JiJiful  light  all  thofe  prayers  appear 
to  inCi  which  are  addrejjed  to  the  Trinity, 
(as,  O  holy,  blefled,  and  glorious  Trini- 
ty) to  Chrijly  to  the  Holy  GhoU,  or  to  any 
other  perfony  but  God  himfelf.  For  our 
blefled  Saviour  always  offered  up  prayer 
himfelf  to  God,  his  Father  and  our  Father, 
his  God  and  our  God,  John  xx.  17.  and  he 


( " ) 

alfo  enjoined  us  to  pray  to  the  Father  on- 
ly ;  Luke  xi.  2.  JVhcn  ye  pray ^  fay ^  Our 
Father y  &c.  Many  of  the  prayers  in  the 
liturgy  are  truly  excellent,  and  quite  agree- 
able to  this  rule  and  example  of  holy 
/cripture.  There  are  alfo  many  which  are 
not  io'y  particularly  in  the  litany;  which 
are  imm^ediately  diredted  to  Chrift,  and 
not  to  God.  I  cannot  approve,  or  offer 
up  fuch  prayers  myfelf ;  or  authorize  them 
to  be  offered  up  by  another  for  me.  The 
cafe  is  different  with  regard  to  you,  who 
have  no  authority  in  the  church,  who  are 
only  hearers,  and  do  not  lead  the  devo- 
tions of  others.  If  you  fliould  difapprove 
of  any  part  of  the  fervice  which  you  hear, 
you  can  pafs  it  over,  and  not  join  m  it : 
but  your  minifter,  by  reading  it,  makes  it 
more  his  own. 

I  CANNOT  therefore  continue  Intheufe 
of  fuch  forms  of   worfhip    v^hich    f  be- 
live  to  be  fmful,  without  the  guilt  of  con- 
tinual 


(li) 

tinual  infincerity  before  God,  and  endan- 
gering the  lofs  of  his  favour  for  ever.  For 
he  requireth  truth  in  the  inward  parts, 
Pfalm  li.  6.  an  entire  redlitude  of  heart* 
He  will  in  no  cafe  difpenfe  v^ith  the  ha- 
bitual negledl  of  truth  and  uprightnefs, 
and  leaft  of  all  in  our  folemn  prayers  and 
addreffes  to  himfelf. 

To  leave  a  ftatlon  of  eafe  and  affluence, 
and  to  have  to  combat  with  various  ftraits 
and  hardfliips  of  an  uncertain  world,  is 
but  a  dark  profped:.  But  we  muft  wil- 
lingly fubmit  to  this  hard  lot,  when  not  to 
be  avoided  without  deferting  our  duty  to 
God  and  his  truth.  And  we  have  great 
encouragement  given  us  by  our  divine 
Mafter  and  Saviour  Chrifl.  Matthew  x. 
32.  **  Whofoever  {hall  confefs  me  before 
men,  him  will  I  alfo  confefs  before  my 
Father  which  iS  in  heaven."  And  Mark  x. 
29>  30-    "  Verily  I  fay  unto  you,  there  is 

no 


(13) 

no  man  that  hath  left  houfe,  or  brethren, 
or  fifters,  or  father,  or  mother,  or  wife^ 
or  children,  or  lands,  for  my  fake  and  the 
gofpers,but  he  (hall  receive  an  hundred  fold 
now  in  this  time,  houfes,  and  brethren,  and 
fifters,  and  mothers,and  children  and  lands, 
vith  perfecutions,  and  in  the  world  to 
come,  eternal  life."  It  is  of  fmall  con- 
cern in  what  outward  circumftances  we 
pafs  over  the  fhbrt  term  of  life,  if  we  can 
but  obtain  that  biefled  approbation  in  the 
end, — "  Well  done  good  and  faith- 
ful fervant ;  —  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of 
thy  Lord."     Matthew  xxv.  23, 

It  is  a  great  fatisfaftion,  at  this  my 
departure  from  you,  that  I  can  truly  fay, 
*<  i  have  coveted  no  man's  filver,  nor  gold, 
nor  apparel."  A^s  xx.  33.  In  nothing 
have  I  made  a  gain  of  you,  or  fought  to 
enrich  myfelf,  nor  am  I  enriched  by  you  at 
all,  but  what  was  over  and  above  the  fup* 
ply  of  .neceflary  wants,  has  been  freely 
C  expended 


(  14  ) 

expended  in  the  various  ways,  in  which  it 
was  thought  might  be  mod  ufeful  for  your 
prefcnt  benefit  and  future  happinefs.  I 
have  not  fought  Tours,  but  Tou.  And  al- 
though humbled  before  God  under  a  fenfe 
of  many  failings  and  neglefts,  yet  in  fome 
low  degree,  I  hope  I  may  fay,  that,  '*  in 
*'  fimplicity  and  godly  fincerity  we  have 
**  hadour  converfation  in  the  world,  and 
**  more  abundantly  towards  you."  2  Cor. 
i.  12. 

I  HAVE  endeavoured   to  teach  you  the 
truth  which    Chrift   our  Lord  taught,  as 
far  as  I  was  able  to  learn  it,  by  an  impar- 
tial and  diligent  fearch  of  the  holy  fcrip- 
tures.     And  I  often  reminded  you,  that 
you  were  not  to  believe  any  thing  becaufe 
fpoken  by  me,  but  to  examine  and  com- 
pare  how   far  it  was  agreeable   to  holy 
fcripture,  our  only  rule  and  guide.     And 
my  difcourfes,  of  late  years,  have  been  al- 
together expofitions  of  large  portions  of  the 
^  New 


(15) 

New  Teftament,  with  fuch  inferences  as 
naturally  and  plainly  flowed  from  them, 
that  you  might  fee  it  was  the  word  of  God 
which  was  endeavoured  to  be  fpoken  to 
you,  and  not  the  word  of  man. 

In  thefe  difcourfesl  was  led  continually 
to  point  out  to  you,  that  religion  lay  not 
in  outward  forms  and  ordinances  even  of 
God's  own  appointment,  though  they  be 
heJps  to  it ;  but  in  an  entire  converfion 
and  devotednefs  of  the  heart  to  God,  in- 
fluencing to  fobriety,  chaftity,  brotherly 
love,  kindnefs,  integrity,  in  all  your  con« 
verfation  ;  to  do  every  thing  out  of  a  fenfe 
of  duty  to  God  ever  prefent  with  and  fup- 
porting  us  in  life,  and  chiefly  for  his  infi- 
nite love  to  us  in  Chrifl:  Jefus  our  Lord,  by 
whom  he  ie  hath  called  us  unto  his  eternal 
glory y  I  Pet.  v.  lo.  And  that  this  inward 
fenfe  of  God  carried  along  with  you  into 
your  daily  labours  and  bufmef$,  would 
faniftify  them  all  to  you,  preferve  you  in- 
^  C  2  nocent 


(  i6) 

nocent  and  holy,  fweeten  the  unavoidable 
toils  and  cares  of  the  prefent  life,  and  en- 
able you  to  refign  it  with  joy  and  in  peace. 

I  HAVE  often  prefied  upon  you  the  duty 
of   family-religion.  —  That  every  houfe 
Ihould  be  a  little  church  as  it  were,  where- 
in all  the  members  of  it  v^ere  carefully  in- 
llruded  in  the  things  of  God,  and  once 
at  lead:,  at  the  clofe  of  each  day,  called 
together  to  join  in   fhort  prayer    to  Goda 
fince  in  your  way  of  bufmefs  you  can  feldom 
meet  all  together  at  any  other  time  without 
inconvenience.     This  would  be  a  conftant 
check  upon  parents  in  their  daily  condud:, 
and  would  make  them  haften  home  with 
pleafurc  after  their  labours  were  over,  to 
worfliip    God  in    their    families,     which 
would  thus  become   orderly  and  happy. 
And  this  might  be  a  means  of  preventing 
that  early  depravity  and  corruption  of  the 
youth  of  both  fexes,  which  is  fo  alarms 
ing,  and  from  which  they  are  ftldom  to 


(17) 
be  recovered,  when  once  you  have  loft  this 
feafon  of  inftrudion,  and  of  forming  ha- 
bits of  piety  and  virtue.  *^  Train  up  a  child 
in  the  way  he  (hould  go  :  and  when  he  h 
old,  he  will  not  depart  from  it.'*  Prov, 
xxii.  6. 

Still  more  have  I  Inculcated  upon 
you  the  neceffity  of  keeping  the  Lord's-- 
day  holy,  in  obedience  to  God's  primary 
law,  when  he  firft  placed  man  upon  the 
earth,  never  repealed  fince,  and  which  was 
regulated  anew,  and  confirmed  by  the  au- 
thority and  example  of  our  Saviour  Chrift 
and  hisapoftles  :— As  many  of  each  family 
as  can  be  allowed,  to  attend  the  public 
worfhip  of  the  Great  Creator  and  heavenly 
Father,  and  to  be  mindful  afterwards  of  a 
fuitable  employment  of  your  time  at  home. 
For  fpending  one  part  of  this  facred  day 
in  unneceffary  worldly  cares,  or  in  fports 
and  diverfions,  tends  to  efface  cvery'fe- 
l-jcus  impreffion  made  on  the  mind  on  the 

other 


(  i8  ) 

Other  part,  and  by  degrees  leads  to  fpend 
the  whole  of  it  in  the  fame  ungodly  fort* 
Not  that  the  fervice  of  God  is  to  make  us 
morofe,  or  fad  and  unchearful  at  this  or 
at  any  time.  There  are  ways  of  paffing 
this  holy  day,  in  walking  out  and  contem*« 
plating  the  works  of  God,  in  pleafing 
charitable  olffices  to  our  neighbours,  and 
in  innocent  ufeful  converfation,  which 
will  chear  and  refrefh  both  mind  and  body, 
far  beyond  thofe  noify  and  riotous  games, 
always  accompanied  with  profane  oaths, 
and  generally  ending  in  the  alchoufe  or 
worfe. 

A  WRITER  of  great  note,  though  no 
clergyman,  remarks  : 

**  I  BELIEVE  it  may  be  laid  down  as  a 
^'  certain  fa<fl,  that  no  mafter  or  miflrefs 
**  of  a  family  can  have  a  true  concern  for 
*'  religion,  or  be  a  child  of  God,  who 
"  does  not  take   care  to  worfliip  God  by 

<V  family- 


(   19  ) 

*<  family    prayer."  '  Hartley  on  Man, 

vol.  iu  p.  336. 

To  which  I  would  add,  that  I  have 
feldom  found  any  ferious  religion  in  a  pa- 
rifli  or  family,  where  the  Lord's  day  was 
cuftomarily  prophaned.  And,  as  he  con- 
cludes— '*  Let  the  obfervation  of  the  fa£t 
determine''  in  both  cafes. 

It  has  been  matter  of  deep  concern  to 
me,  that  I  have  not  feen  fo  much  of  the 
fruits  of  my  labours  as  I  defired  among 
you.  Parents,  ignorant  themfelves,  and 
refufing  inftrudtion,  muft  of  courfe  neg- 
ledt  all  godly  care  of  their  children.  Very 
Jeldom  do  farmers  meet  at  markets  on 
their  worldly  bufinefs  without  giving  more 
or  lefs  into  drunken  excefles,  which  (hews, 
that  they  are  under  the  reftraint  of  no  re- 
ligious    principle.       Much    bad  pradlice 

and  open  fin  is  vifible  in  many. But  I 

would  not  now   complain.      Let   us   all 

make 


(    20) 

make  hafte  to  repent  and  amend— for  the 
time  is  fliort.  I  would  hope  that  more 
good  may  have  been  done  than  I  know  of, 
and  that  there  are  more  truly  pious  than 
the  few  that  appear  to  be  fo :  and  that 
fome  feed  of  the  word,  that  has  been 
fown,  may  hereafter  fpring  up,  and  bear 
good  fruit. 

It  will  be  your  wifdom,  and  happy  for 
you,  and  a  caufe  of  rejoicing  to  me,  if 
fiom  this  time  forwards  your  lives  be  con- 
duded  with  fuch  Chriftian  fobriety  and 
watchfulnefs,  in  a  daily  progrejSive  im- 
provement in  virtue  and  holinefs,  that  I 
might  be  able  to  fay,  *^  I  have  laboured, 
*'  and  another  hath  entered  into  my 
"  labours,'*  John  iv.  38.  and  that  the 
work  of  my  fucceflbr  may  be  made  more 
eafy  to  him  from  what  you  have  learned  of 
me.  More  efpeciaily  if  it  ihould  pleafe 
the  God  of  all  grace,  i  Pet.  v.  10.  that  as 
Samfon  ferved   his  country  more  at    his 

death. 


.(    21    ) 

death,  than  in  his  life,  you  alio  may  be 
more  benefited  by  this  my  laft  farewell 
exhortation  to  you,  than  by  what  I  have 
laboured  in  much  weaknefs,  but  great 
fincerity,  for  the  ten  years  that  I  have 
^  been  with  you. 

Soon  {hall  all  the  friendfhips  and  con- 
nexions of  this  world  be  diflblved,  and  at 
an  end.  The  parting,  and  the  feparation, 
which  death  mufl  have  made  betwixt  us 
in  a  few  years,  perhaps  much  fooner,  is 
only  anticipated  a  little.  And  it  may  be 
a  providential  blefling  to  both  you  and 
me,  if  I  niay  but  thereby  be  approved, 
and  found  faithful  unto  the  end,  for  which 
I  Hefire  the  help  of  your  prayers ;  and  if 
this  my  voluntary  difmiffion  of  myfelf 
from  my  ftation  and  miniftry  among  you, 
to  which  I  am  conftrained  by  a  principle 
of  confcience  and  obedience  to  Chrilt, .as 
I  firmly  believe,  may  contribute  to  con- 
vince you, 

D  That 


(    22   ) 

That  the  gofpel  of  Jefus  is  the  truth 
of  God — the  pearl  of  great  price,  Mattb, 
xiii.  45,  for  which  we  are  to  be  willing  to 
part  with  every  thing  rather  than  fail  of 
obtaining  it :  to  induce  you 

To  do  nothing  now,  which  you  fhall 
not  approve  at  that  folemn  hour  when  yoa 
leave  the  world  : 

And  to  be  ready  at  all  times,  and  even 
defirous  to  have  the  common-prayer  book 
reformed,  and  the  public  worfhip  of  Gcd 
in  it  made  more  conformable  to  the  holy 
fcriptores,  for  your  own  fakes,  and  that  of 
your  confcientious  Paftors,  whenever  it 
(hall  pleafe  God,  in  his  providence,  to 
incline  our  gracious  Prince  and  Parliament 
to  fet  about  fo  needful  a  work. 

And  now,  O  Koly  Father,  the  blejjed 
and  only  potentate,  in  conformity  to  what  I 
believe  thy  w^ill  and  my  duty,  I  refign  un- 


(    23) 

to  thee,  from  whom  I  received  them,  my 
miniflry  and  people.  Do  thou  raife  up 
unto  them  a  faithful  teacher,  who  (hall 
more  effeftually  preach  thy  word,  turn 
many  from  fin,  and  bring  all  nearer  to 
♦thee,  their  only  portion  and  happinefs. 
And  gracioufly  difpofe  cf  me,  thine  un- 
worthy fervant,  where  and  how  I  may  bed 
be  enabled  to  ferve  thee  according  to  the 
pure  gofpel  of  thy  fon,  through  whom  I 
defire  to  find  acceptance  with  thee,  now 
and  for  ever. 

FINIS. 


Lately  Puhlijhed^   and  Sold  by   J.   Johnson, 
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I.     A    N  Essay  on  the  First  Principles  of  Go- 
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Method  of  communicating  religious  Knowledge  to  the 

Members  of  Chriftiaii  Societies,  2S.  6d.  fewed. • 

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4.  Additions  to  ditto,   is. 

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6.  Considerations  on  Differences  of  Opi- 
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I  K.  The  Triumph  of  Truth  ;  beins:  an  Account 
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SERMON 

PREACHED 

At  the  Opening   of  the  Chapel  m  Essex- 
i^HousE,  Essex-Street,  in  the  Strand, 
on  Sunday,  April  17,   1774. 

By  THEOPHILUS  LINDSEY,  M.  A. 

^  TOWHICHISADDED, 

A  Summary  Account  of  the  Reformed  Liturgy, 
on  the  Plan  of  the  late  Dr.  Samuel  Clarke, 
made  Ufe  of  in  the  faid  Chapel. 

The  true  unity  of  Chrlftians  confifts  not  in  wiity  of 
opinion  in  the  bond  of  ignorance^  or  unity  of  praifice 
in  the  bond  of  hypocrifyy  but  in  the  unity  of  the  fpirit 
in  the  bond  of  peace, 

■  Dr.  Clarke's  Sermons,  Vol.  III.  p.  316. 

THE    SECOND    EDITION. 


LONDON: 

printed  for  J.  Johnson,  No.  72,  5/.  PauTs  Church-yard, 


[     3     ] 
THE 

PRAYER  before  the  Sermon^* 


T  TNTO  thee  do  we  lift  up  our  eyes^  O  thou 
^"^^    that  dwelkjl  In  the  Heave?2s  I 

O  Lord,  the  great  and  glorious  God,  who 
haft  made  all  things,  and  fuftauieft  and  order  eft 
all  things  by  thy  wife  and  good  providence ; 
who  giveft  wildom  to  all  that  afk  it  of  thee ; 
to  whom  alone  we  look  up  for  a  bleffing,  and 
fuccefs  on  all  that  we  take  in  hand. 

We  befeech  thee  to  look  down  upon  us  thy 
creatures  and  fervants,  who  have  here  aflembled 
ourfelves  togeth-er  as  the  difciples  of  thy  fon 
Jefus  Chrift,  to  edify  one  another  in  thy  holy 
word ;  and  to  render  unto  thee,  O  thou  moft 
high,  that  fupreme  worfiiip,  reverence,  and 
praife,  which  are  only  due  unto  thee :  For  thou 
art  God  aion€ ;  and  hefide  thee  there  Is  no  other. 

May  we  be  found  among  thy  true  ivor/hlppers-, 
fuch  as  thou  feekejl  to  worJl:lp  thee :  and  make 
us  ever  mindful  of  that  pure  and  undejiled  Reli- 
gion before  thee  our  God  and  Fathery  which 
thou  haft  told  us,  confifteth  in  acts  of  mercy 
and  kindnefs,  and  in  keeping  ourfelves  unfpotted 
from  the  world. 

*  The  prayers  before  and  after  the  fermon  were  by  no 
means  intended  to  have  been  made  public  j  but  are  printed  at 
jhe  r^queft  of  fomc  of  the  hearers. 

A  2  Increafc 


[     4     ] 

Increafc  the  number  of  thy  faithful  Mini- 
fters,  whofe  honourable  employ  it  is  to  bring 
men  to  know  thee,  and  the  way  to  eternal  life. 

Particularly  aflift  thine  unworthy  fervant, 
whom  by  a  fmgular  providence  thou  haft  called 
to  be  a  teacher  of  thy  holy  gofpel  in  this 
place.  May  he  take  heed  unto  himfelfy  and  his 
doctrine  \  Jiudying  to  Jhew  himjelf  approved  of 
thee  J  and  furnijhed  to  every  good  work.  En- 
lighten him  more  and  more  with  the  know- 
kdge  of  thy  truth  ;  and  enable  him  to  fpeak  it 
with  all  boldnefs,  that  he  may  not  fhun  to  de- 
clare the  whole  counfel  of  God  to  others,  as  he 
fliall  learn  it  himfelf. 

Give  fuccefs  to  his  labours,  that  he  may  make 
full  proof  of  his  minijiry ;  and  fave  himfef  and 
thofe  that  hear  him  !  that  fome  may  be  often 
called  away  from  the  too  eager  purfuit  of  a 
vain  world  that  profiteth  not ;  if  any  live  in 
wilful  fm,  difhonefty,  or  vicious  praftice,  that 
they  may  repent  and  be  converted ;  and  that  we 
all  may  become  more  acquainted  with  thee  and 
our  duty,  and  better  fitted  to  aft  our  part  in  this 
trying  uncertain  world,  with  integrity,  pa- 
tience and  fortitude  :  and  that  thus  doing  thy 
will  on  earth,  and  being  found  faithful  in  our 
feveral  ftations,  we  may,  in  the  end,  have  our 
place  in  that  kingdom  of  glory  and  happinefs 
to  which  thou  haft  called  us  by  Jefus  Chrift 
our  Lord. 


Ephesians 


[     5     ] 


EPHESIANsiv.      3. 

E?ideavourmg  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in 
the  bond  of  peace, 

HAD  the  benevolent  do(5trine  of  the  gof- 
pel  produced  the  fruits  that  might  have 
been  expected  in  the  lives  of  its  ProfelTors, 
they  would  have  been  as  remarkable  for  their 
love  to  each  other  as  they  have  been  too  often 
for  the  contrary  difpofition;  and  what  was 
faid  of  the  firft  difciples  of  Jefus,  would  have 
been  verified  of  their  fucceffors  to  the  end  of 
time ;  Lo^  how  thefe  Chri/lians  love  one  another! 

Love  to  all,  even  to  enemies  the  moft  cruel 
and  injurious,  is  bound  upon  us  by  that  moft 
engaging  motive  ;  nat  we  may  be  the  children 
of  our  Father  which  is  in  heaven :  for  he  maketh 
his  fun  to  rife  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and 
fendeth  rain  on  the  jujl  and  on  the  unjujl,  Matth. 
v.  45. 

Much  more  then  are  we  to  love  thofe,  who 
are  kindly  difpofed  towards  us  -,  our  brethren, 
and  fellow  difciples  of  the  fame  Saviour ;  be 
their  religious  opinions  ever  fo  different  from 
our  own.  For  thereby  they  do  us  no  injury; 
and  if  in  error  the  moft  blind  and  wilful,  they 
are  not  accountable  to  us  for  it,  and  they  only 
will  fuffer  by  continuing  in  it. 

It  was  by  this  agreement  in  charity,  and  not 
fo  much  in  religious  opinions,  that  our  Lord 

A  3  was 


[     6     ] 

was   defirous    his  followers   fliould   be  diftin- 

guiflied  from  all  other  men ;    where  he  fays^ 

John  xiii.  3  5'.    By  this  [hall  all  men  know  that 

ye  are  my  dlfciples,   (fye  have  love  one  to  another. 

His  apoftles,  and  firft  difciples,  kept  their 
Mailer's  vv^ords  in  remembrance,  diligently  ob- 
ferved  them,  and  taught  them  to  others. 
Charity,  peace,  and  union  amongft  Believers, 
is  the  pleafmg  theme  they  are  continually 
dwelling  vipon  ;  the  burden  of  all  their  Wri- 
tings. The  exhortation  of  St.  Paul  before  us, 
relates  primarily  and  more  immediately  to  the 
Ephefian  Converts  to  whom  he  addreffes  it. 
But  it  is  no  lefs  fuited  to  all  othei's,  who  in 
their  refpe6live  circumftances  are  to  endeavour 
to  keep  the  unity  of  the  fpirit  in  the  bond  of 
peace. 

The  unity  of  the  Spirit,  as  appeareth  from 
the  context  i  was  the  kindnefs  and  harmony 
amongft  Chriftians>  their  juft  deference  far 
each  other,  and  regard  for  the  common  good, 
at  that  time,  whe7i  Believers  were  very-  generally 
favoured  with  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  holy 
Spirit.  And  fmce  thofe  miraculous  powers 
have  been  withdrawn,  which  happened  very 
foon,  the  unity  of  the  Spirit ,  is  the  kind  af- 
feftion,  good  order,  and  attention  to  mutual 
edification,  which  ought  to  fubfift  among  thofe 
who  profefs  the  do6lrine  of  Chrift,  which  was 
dilated  by  the  fame  holy  Spirit  of  God:  Some- 
thing above  the  pureft  friendfhips  of  this  world, 
as  much  as  the  motives,  views  and  excellence 
of  the  gofpel,  furpaffed  the  wifdom  of  maa : 

aa 


i    7    ] 

ah  endeavour  to  make  all  thofe  wife  and  vir- 
tuous v^ith  whom  we  are  conne6led,  and 
thereby  to  quaUfy  ourfelves  with  them,  for  per- 
fe£l  and  durable  felicity. 

We  fliall  be  able  to  learn  more  particularly 
the  nature  of  this  unity  of  the  Spirit;  to  which 
our  apoftle  exhorts,  by  attending  to  the  way 
in  which  it  is  to  be  preferved  ;  namely,  in  the 
bond  of  peaesi 

I.  ov:;^  v?. 

It  is  a  maxim  of  undoubted  truth,  that  in 
their  rehgious  capacity,    mankind  are  fabjeft 
only  to  the  authority  of  God,  and  of  their  own 
confciences.     Another  may  fuggeft  arguments 
and  motives  to  prevail  upon  us  to  relinquifh 
fentiments  that  he  fees  to  be  erroneous  and 
dangerous  ;  and  to  embrace  his  own.     And  to 
do  this  is  oftentimes  a  duty  for  fome  perfons; 
and  a  part  of  chriftian  charity  in  all.     But 
there  the  matter  is  to  reft.      The  fuccefs  of 
fuch  charitable  endeavours  is  to  be  left  to  the 
force  of  perfuafion  ;    and  no  other  force  is  to 
be  ufed.     To  a6l  otherwife,  and  to  compell  to 
an  outward  religious  profeffion,  when  tlierc  is 
no  inward  approbation  and  willingnefs,  is  to 
violate  the  moft  facred  rights  of  confcience, 
and  break  that  bond  of  peace,  by  which  alone, 
rational  beings,  of  capacities  and  attainments 
inlinitely  diverfified,  and  independent  of  each 
other  in  religious  matters,    can  live  in  unity 
together.     A  fpirit  of  dominion  however,  and 
tyranny  over  confcience,  foon  began  to  difco- 
ver  itfelf  among  Chriftians ;    and  ftill  conti- 

A  4  nues 


[     8     ] 

nues  to  hold  the  greateft  part  of  them  in  all 
countries,  under  the  moft  abje6l  flavery.  The 
evil  might  have  been  prevented,  if  the  apoftle's 
argument  for  chriftan  unity,  immediately  fol- 
lowing the  words  of  the  text,  had  been  at- 
tended to  and  regarded.  Inhere  is  one  body 
(fays  he)  and  one  fpirit^  even  as  ye  are  called  in 
one  hope  of  your  calling:  One  Lord^  one  faith  y 
one  baptifniy  one  God  and  Fat  hereof  ally  who 
is  above  all,  and  through  all,  and  in  you  all. 
Eph.  iv.  4,  5,  6.  i.e.  All  Chriftians  are  equal, 
and  upon  a  level  in  the  things  that  concern 
their  falvation.  No  one  is  to  di6late  with 
authority  to  another.  For  they  are  all  One 
body,  as  it  were;  confiding  indeed  of  divers 
members  \  fome  more  ufeful,  and  therefore 
more  honourable  than  others :  but  no  one 
heady  or  Lord  of  another :  all  under  the  di- 
rection of  One  Spirit y  one  rule  offaithy  and  one 
Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  the  author  of  that  faith, 
and  difpenfer  of  that  fpirit  and  power  of  God, 
and/6Wof  his  body,  the  church;  himfelffub- 
ordinate  to,  and  receiving  all  his  powers  from 
the  One  God  and  Father  of  all. 

For  any  man  therefcre  to  put  his  own  fenfe 
upon  the  words  of  Chrift  and  of  the  holy 
Spirit,  and  require  others  to  accept  that  fenfe 
only  and  fubfcribe  to  the  truth  of  it ;  is  to  fet 
up  his  fpirit  and  wifdom  againft  the  holy  fpirit 
and  wifdom  of  God,  and  to  ufurp  the  province 
of  Chrift,  the  fole  law-giver  and  head  of  his 
church.  We  may  give  out  explanations  and 
illuftrations  of  the  holy  fcriptures ;  and  re- 
commend 


[     9     ] 

commend  them  to  others  :  but  we  are  not  to 
require  or  expe6l  them  to  be  embraced  by 
others  but  as  they  fhall  be  found  by  them  to  be 
agreeable  to  that  holy  fcripture,  whofe  true 
meaning  we  endeavour  to  point  out. 

In  the  word  of  God,  as  in  his  worksy  there 
are  treafures  of  v/ifdom  ftill  unexplored.  We 
ai^  commanded  to  fearch  for  wifdom. — Prov. 
(2  Peter  i.  5.)  to  add  biow lege  to  all  the  other 
chriftian  virtues  ;  and  by  no  means  to  lock  up 
pur  *  mind  and  reafonable  powers  at  anytime, 
and  fhut  out  further  information  and  im- 
provement. Neither  may  numbers  of  Chrif- 
tians  in  fociety  tye  themfelves  up  againft  re- 
ceiving additional  light  and  knowlege,  by 
framing  articles  of  faith,  from  which  they  are 
never  to  recede.  Much  lefs  are  churches  or 
focieties  of  Chriftians  in  one  age  to  fetter  and 
confine  all  future  generations  of  men  and  fo- 
cieties of  Chriftians,  from  feeing  farther  into 

*  "  Studious  and  inquifitive  men,  commonly  at  fuch  an 
*'  age,  at  forty  or  fifty  at  the  utmoft,  have  fixed  and  fettled 
*'  their  judgments  in  rnofl:  points,  and,  as  it  were,  7nade  their 
"  la/i  underftandings  ;  fuppofing  that  they  have  thought,  or 
"  read,  or  heard,  what  can  be  faid  on  all  fides  of  things  ; 
"  and  after  this,  they  grow  pofitive  and  impatient  of  contra- 
*'  didion,  thinking  it  a  difparagement  to  them  to  alter  their 
*'  judgment.  But  our  deceafcd  friend  was  fo  wife,  as  to  be 
"  willing  to  learn  to  the  lafl: ;  knowing  that  no  man  can 
"  grow  wifcr  without  fome  change  of  his  mind,  without 
"  gaining  Tome  knowledge  which  he  had  not,  or  correcting 
''  fome  error  that  he  had  before." 

Tillotfons  fermon  at  tiTe  funeral  of  Dr.  JVlAchcote. 

It  is  hard  to  fay,  whether  this  fentimcnt  doth  more  honour  to 
Dr,  JVhichcote^  or  to  the  wife  and  humble  Arciibifliop,  who. 
reports  it  with  fo  much  fatisfa<51iop. 

the 


'ho  ] 

the  intent  of  God's  word,  and  interpreting  it 
differently  from  themfelves  :  a  condu6l  this, 
as  common  among  private  Chriftians,  and 
churches,  in  all  ages,  as  it  is  tyrannical  and 
reproachful.  ,As  the  fervants  of  God,  and 
difciples  of  Ghrift,  we  can  only  fubmit  to  the 
authority  of  Chrift  in  his  his  written  word; 
and  in  the  ferife  we  ourfelves  put  upon  it,  and 
not  that  of  another. 

II. 

But  it  has  been  the  do6lrine  of  too  riictny; 
in  all  periods  of  the  Chriftian  church,  that 
peace  and  unity  are  not  to  be  attained,  unlefs 
you  bring  all  Chriftians  to  be  of  one  opinion  in: 
religion. 

Uniformity  of  opinion  is  of  fpecious  found, 
and  very  impofnig  on  weak  minds,  who  look 
iio  farther  than  the  furface  of  things.  But 
Almighty  God  could  never  make  that  the  only 
wav  to  peace  and  unity,  which  is  in  itfelf  im- 
pra6licable  and  impoflible  to  fach  creatures  as 
we  are  :  and  the  very  appearance  of  which 
cannot  be  kept  up  without  the  lofs  of  what  is 
infinitely  more  valuable,  of  virtue  and  inte- 
grity ;  without  tempting  many  to  make  no  ufe 
at  at  all  of  their  underftandings,  or  to  diiTem- 
ble  their  better  knowledge.  For  our  opini- 
ons are  not  in  our  own  power.  They  depend 
upon  the  light  and  evidence  with  which  truth 
is  prefented  to  our  minds.  And  this  ap- 
pears fo  differently  to  difterent  men,  through 
the  diverfity  of  their  prejudices,  natural  abi-^ 
Uties,    and  means  of  improvement  >    tliat  it 

Gannot 


I  "  ] 

cannot  be  but  we  muft  differ  widely  in  our 
judgments  concerning  many  things,  on  a  fub- 
je6l  of  fuch  compafs  and  variety,  as  that  of 
revealed  religion.  And  you  may  as  well  re- 
quire all  mankind  to  be  of  the  fame  fize  and 
complexion,  as  of  the  fame  fentiment  in  all 
thofe  refpefts,  which  you  perhaps  fhall  think 
important.  For  the  one  is  as  little  in  their 
power,  and  as  unlikely  to  be  attained  as  the 
other. 

III. 

When  other  arguments  have  failed,  holy 
fcripture  has  been  preffed  into  the  hard  fer- 
vice  of  enflaving  mankind  to  one  fyftem  of 
religious  opinions  :  though  fuch  fyftem  often- 
times far  from  agreeing  with  holy  fcripture  ; 
oft  in  direct  oppofition  to  it. 

Thus  becaufe  St.  Paul  exhorts  2  Cor.  xiii. 
II.  to  be  of  one  mind :  and  in  another  place, 
I  Cor.  i.  10.  /  befeech  you,  brethren,  by  the 
name  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chriji,  that  ye  allfpeak  the 
fame  thing,  and  that  there  be  no  divifioJis  among 
you ;  but  that  ye  be  perfeBly  joined  together  i?j 
the  fame  mind,  and  the  fame  judgmejit.  Hence 
it  is  inferred,  that  there  ought  to  be  no  dif- 
ference in  opinion  amongft  Chriftians  :  but 
that  they  ought  to  be  all  of  the  fa?ne  mind, 
2ir\(i  the  fame  judgment ',  at  leaft  \w  fwidamental 
points  oi  (^lih,  as  they  are  ufually  difiinguifhed. 

We  fhall  in  vain  fearch  the  New  Teftament 
for  fundamental  points  of  faith,  one  only  ex- 
cepted, the  belief  of  which  is  indeed  neceflary 
for  every  Chriftian  ;  namely,  that  Jefus  is  the 

ChriJU 


[  12  ] 

Chriji^  the/on  of  God,     Without  this  no   one 
ran  be  a  Chriftian.     And   he  that  -fmcerely 
beheves  this,  will  believe  and  do  every  thing 
€lfe,  that  Jefus  taught  and  commanded.    Our 
Saviour  and  his  apoftles,  tell  us  not  any  thing 
of  that  long  catalogue  of  other  necefiary   ar- 
ticles of  faith,  commonly  infifted  on.     Thefe 
are   generally,   either  mifapplications  of^holy 
fcripture  ill  underftood ;  or  obfcure,    uncer- 
tain dedu6lions  from  it,    about  which   good 
men  may  well  hold  different  fentiments.     So 
that  it  might  weaken  the  divine  authority  and 
infpiration  of  the  apoftle,   to  fuppofe  him  re- 
quiring men  to  be  of  one  mind  and  judgment 
in  points  of  fo  much  doubtfulnefs  and  obfcu- 
rity.     But  the  cafe  is  far  different.     St.  Paul, 
in  this  place,  did  very  properly  require  of  the 
Corinthian   Chriflians,  a   itrift   obedience   to 
thofe   directions   for   their   religious  conduft, 
which  he   had  clearly   and   fufficiently   made 
known  to  them,  and  to   be  of  one  mind  and 
judgment  in  thofe  matters.     Submitting  to  the 
authority  of  the   apoflle,    was  fubmitting  to 
the  authority  of   God  himfelf,    from   whom 
he  received  it.     But  this  can  be  no  rule  for 
other  men,  who  have  no  authority  to  dem.and 
an  implicit  fubmiffion  to  their  decrees. 

It  will  moreover  be  found,  that  in  thefe 
and  the  like  warm  exhortations  to  unanimity, 
the  view  of  the  apoflle  was  to  prevent  un- 
neceffary  difputes,  and  the  fpirit  of  faction 
amongfl  the  brethren,  and  not  to  enforce  an 
exact   uniformity  of    religious    opinion    and 

pra6tice. 


[  13] 

practice.  For,  at  other  times,  he  allows  a 
latitude  and  variety.  Thus,  jR(?;;j.  xiv.  be  can- 
didly admits  and  allows  the  fcruples  of  Ibme 
Jewifn  Believers,  in  continuing  to  obferve 
their  new  moons  and  fabbaths ;  and  in  for- 
bearing to  eat  animal  food  at  public  en- 
tertainments, left  they  fliould  tafte  fuch  things 
as  were  forbidden  by  the  law  of  Mofes,  which 
they  ftill  held  obhgatory  to  themfeives. 

IV. 

Since  then  an  uniformity  of  opinion  in  the 
things  of  religion  is  not  to  be  attained,  nor  is 
required  of  us;  it  follows,,  that  God  never 
defigned  that  Chriftians  fliould  be  all  of  one 
fentiment,  or  formed  into  one  great  church, 
as  we  fpeak  :  but  that  there  fliould  be  different 
fefts  of  Chriftians,  and  different  churches. 
This,  I  fay,  plainly  appears  to  be  the  ap- 
pointment of  God,  hov\^ever  many  have  been 
led  away  to  think  and  aft  as  if  it  were  not  fo. 

After  our  Lord's  apoftles  were  dead,  the  di- 
vine inftru6lions  which  they  left  in  writing 
would  be  thought  to  admit  of  various  inter- 
pretations ;■  and  different  judgments  and  con- 
clufions  from  them  would  be  formed  concern- 
ing many  points  both  of  doclrine  and  difci- 
pline;  of  the  manner  of  conducing  divine 
worfhip,  of  adminiftring  baptifm  and  the 
Lord's  fupper,  and  the  like.  Some  would  be 
content  with  what  was  more  plain  and  fimple ; 
and  keep  as  near  as  jpoflible  to  the  language, 
rule,  and  example  of  Chrift,  and  his  apoftles. 
Others  would  fpeculate  farther,  and  niix  more 

2  of 


of  their  own  wifdom  with  that  of  the  gofpel:  with 
no  ill  defign  at  firft,  but  thinking  that  fuch 
additions  and  enlargements  tended  to  edifica- 
tion ;  yet  thus  making  a  bad  precedent  for 
after-times.  And  in  this  fort,  different  fe6ls, 
and  churches,  or  worfliipping  focieties  of  Chrif- 
tians  would  be  formed :  all  profeffing  to  fol- 
low the  fame  rule  of  holy  fcripture ;  but  fol- 
lowing it  in  different  ways  according  to  their 
own  apprehenfions.  Each  would  poffefs  a 
right  of  adhering  to  their  own  fentiments, 
and  method  of  worfhipping  God,  without 
controul,  fo  long  as  they  did  not  difturb  the 
public  peace.  And  in  the  midft  of  thefe  dif- 
ferences and  varieties,  the  unity  of  the  fpirit 
was  Jlill  to  be  kept  in  the  bond  of  peace ;  by  a 
brotherly  affeftion,  and  friendly  correfpon- 
dence  one  with  another, 

V, 

While  this  friendly  benevolent  temper  is 
cultivated  towards  each  other,  the  different 
fe6ls  and  churches  amongft  Chriftians,  far 
from  being  a  hurt  or  difcredit  to  religion, 
are  an  honour  and  of  fmgular  fervice  to  it. 

For  thus  a  fpirit  of  enquiry  into  the  grounds 
of  their  common  faith  and  diffent  from  each 
other,  is  excited  and  kept  alive.  They  are 
prevented  from  finking  into  a  criminal  indo- 
lence and  indifference  in  a  matter  of  fuch  high 
importance  as  that  of  religion ;  and  from  the 
two  bad  extremes  of  rejefting  or  receiving 
it,  without  due  examination.  But  like  thofe 
perfons,  whom  St.  Luke  fo  highly  commends, 
4  Afts 


[    ^5  ] 

Afts  xvii.  II.  they  fear ch  the  fcript lire s  daily, 
whether  thofe  things  are  true  -,  and  i  Pet.  iii. 
15.  are  ready  always  to  give  an  anfwer  to  every 
man  that  ajketh  them  a  reafon  of  the  hope 
that  is  in  them.  This  rational  fatisfaftion 
about  the  grounds  of  their  religion  and  their 
duty,  is  what  the  bulk  of  mankind  are  capable 
of  staining  no  lefs  than  the  philofopher.*  And 

the 

*  There  is  an  admirable  pafTage  in  proof  of  this,  in  iMr. 
L  O  C  K  E  's  Reofonablenefs  of  ChriJJ'ianity  as  delivered  in  ths 
fcriptures  ;  where  this  true  philofopher  and  chriftian  has  fhewn, 
that  the  ufe  of  reafon  in  religion  is  not  to  he  denied  to  any  part  of 
mankind  \  and  how  far  all  are  capable  of  it.  "  The  bulk  of 
mankind  (faith  that  excellent  peribn)  have  not  Jeifure 
nor  capacity  for  demonflration  ;  nor  can  carry  a  train  of 
proofs ;  which  in  that  way  they  muft  always  depend  upon 
for  convidion,  and  cannot  be  required  to  aflent  till  tiiey 
fee  the  demonftration.  Wherever  they  (lick,  the  teachers 
are  always  put  upon  proof,  and  muft  clear  the  doubt  by 
a  thread  of  coherent  dedudions  from  the  hrft  principle, 
how  long,  or  how  intric  ite  foever  that  be.  And  you  may 
as  foon  hope  to  have  all  the  day-labourers  and  tradefmen, 
the  fpinfters  and  dairy-maids  perfed  mathematicians,  as  to 
have  them  perfedt  in  Ethicks  this  way.  Hearing  plain 
commands,  is  the  fure  and  only  courfe  to  bring  them  to 
obedience  and  pradlice.  The  greateft  part  cannot  know, 
and  therefore  they  muft  believe.  And  I  afk,  whether  one 
coming  from  heaven  in  the  power  of  God,  in  full  and 
clear  evidence  and  demonftration  of  miracles,  giving  plain 
and  direct  rules  of  morality  and  obedience,  be  not  likelier 
to  enlighten  the  bulk  of  mankind,  and  fet  them  right  in 
their  duties,  and  bring  them  to  do  them,  than  by  rcafon- 
ing  with  them  from  general  notions,  and  principles  of  hu- 
man reafon  ?  And  were  all  the  duties  of  life  clearly  demon- 
ftrated;  yet  I  conclude,  when  well  confidered,  that  method  of 
teaching  men  their  duties,  would  be  thought  proper  only 
for  a  few,  who  had  much  leifure,  improved  underftand- 
f*  ings,  and  were  ufed  to  abftradt  reafpnicgs,     But  the  in- 

"  ftrudion 


[.  i6  ] 

the  Chriftian  thus  formed,  whofe  -  life  agrees 
with  his  holy  profellion,  is  the  brighteft  orna- 
ment  to  it. 

In  the  firfl:  ages  alfo  of  our  faith,  and  long 
time  afterwards,  before  printing  was  difco- 
vered,  thofe  numerous  fe£ts  and  churches  into 
which  Cliriftians  were  divided,  were,  under 
divine  providence,  inftrumental  in  preferving> 
the  holy  fcriptures  pure   and  unadulterated. 

*'  ftruclion  of  the  people  were  beft  ftill  to  be  left  to  the  precepts 
"and  principles  of  the  gofpel.  The  healing  of  the  fick,  the  re- 
^'  ftoring  of  fight  to  the  blind  by  a  word,  the  raifing,  and 
*'  being  raifed  from  the  dead,  are  matters  of  fadl,  which 
"  they  can  without  difficulty  conceive  ;  and  that  he  who 
*'  does  fuch  things,  muft  do  them  by  the  affiftance  of  a  di- 
**  vine  power.  Thefe  things  lye  level  to  the  ordinarieft  ap- 
*«  prehehfion.  He  that  can  diftinguifli  between  fick  and  well, 
*'  lame  and  found,  dead  and  alive,  is  capable  of  this  doc- 
!'  trine.  To  one  who  is  once  perfuaded  that  Jefus  Chrift 
**  was  fent  by  God  to  be  a  king,  and  a  Saviour  of  thofe 
*'  who  do  believe  in  him  ;  all  his  commands  become  prin- 
<«  cipies  :  There  needs  no  other  proof  for  the  truth  of  what- 
*<  he  fays,  but  that  he  faid  it.  And  then  there  needs  no 
*«  more  but  to  read  the  infpired  books,  to  be  i];aftruded  :  All 
"  the  duties  of  morality  lye  there  clear,  and  plain,  and  eafy 
<^  to  be  undtrftood.  And  here  I  appeal,  whether  this  be 
*'  not  the  fureft,  the  fafeft,  and  moft  effedual  way  of  teach- 
**  ing :  Efpecially  if  we  add  this  farther  confideration ;  that 
**  as  it  fuits  the  loweji  capacities  of  reafonahie  creatures,  fo  it 
*«  reaches  and  fail sfies,  nay ^  enlightens  the  higheji.  And  the 
?«  moft  elevated  underftandings  cannot  but  fubmit  to  the  au- 
f «  thority  of  this  dodlrine  as  divine  ;  which  coming  from  the 
*'  mouths  of  a  company  of  illiterate  men,  ha.th  not  only  the 
*'  atteftation  of  miracles,  but  reafon  to  confirm  it ;  fmce 
*'  they  delivered  no  precepts  but  fuch,  as  though  reafon  of 
«'  itfelf  had  not  clearly  made  out ;  yet  it  could  not  but  affent 
«'  to  when  thus  difcovered  ;  and  think  itfelf  indebted  for  the 
<«  difcovery."  Locke's  Keafonahknefs  of  Chrijiianity,  &c. 
p.  279>  280,  281.  . 

Their 


[  17  ] 

Their  zeal  for  their  refpeftive  opinions  would 
prompt  them  to  multiply  copies  of  thofe  fa- 
cred  books  ;  and  would  alfo  lead  them  to  keep 
a  watchful  eye,  and  be  a  check  on  each  other, 
that  they  did  not  falfify  or  corrupt  them,  in 
favour  of  their  particular  fyftems. 

In  procefs  of  time  indeed,  one  great,  pre- 
tefhded,  catholic  church,  did  attempt  to  fwal- 
low  up  and  deftroy  all  the  reft,  and  force  all 
Chriftians  to  be  of  one  mind ;  and  for  many 
long  ages  nearly  fucceeded  in  her  attempt. 
The  groffeft  darknefs,  ignorance  and  idolatry, 
accompanied  with  the  moft  enormous  wicked- 
nefs,  were  the  natural  confequence  of  fuch  a 
conjirained  dead  uniformity,  of  debarring  men 
from  the  ufe  of  their  underftandings  m  the 
things  of  God.  And,  had  not  thofe  days  been 
fhortened,  gofpel  light  and  truth  muft  have 
periftied  out  of  the  world. 

In  later  times,  great  benefits  have  been  de- 
rived to  true  religion,  from  thofe  who  have 
refufed  to  fubmit  to  the  impofitions  of  civil 
and  ecclefiaftical  authority  in  matters  of  faith ; 
and  who,  on  that  principle,  have  had  the  vir- 
tue and  courage  to  depart  from  the  eftablifhed 
forms  in  their  feveral  countries,  to  worfhip 
God  in  the  way  they  believed  moft  acceptable 
to  him.  Their  conduft  has  led  many  to  think 
favourably  of  and  enquire  into  the  reality  and 
importance  of  the  evidences  for  chriftianity; 
and  their  noble  pleas  for  themfelves  and  for 
the  liberty  of  worfliipping  God  according  to 
their  confciences,  have  opened  the  eyes  of  not  a 

B  few 


t  i8] 

few  to  fee  the  neceffity  of  allowing  to  others 
what  each  elaimed  for  themfelves.  And  until 
the  feveral  pubhc  eftabliiliments  of  reUgion 
fhall  be  more  fimplified;  the  only  true  God^ 
the  Father^  acknowledged  and  worfhipped  ac- 
cording to  the  teaching  of  the  holy  fcriptures, 
and  all  authority  over  confcience  difowned ;  it 
muft  be  of  infinite  fervice  to  piety,  integrity, 
and  the  gofpel,  that  the  numbers  of  Diffen- 
ters  from  fuch  eftablifliments  Ihould  remain  and 
increafe. 

VI. 

Nor  can  it  with  truth  be  faid,  tliough  it 
often  hath  been  faid,  that  different  feels  of  re- 
ligion in  a  country,  have  a  tendency  to  difturb 
the  public  peace  and  quiet*  On  the  contrary, 
as  far  as  they  conduce  to  make  men  better 
Chriftians,  which  they  do  in  a  great  degree, 
they  contribute  to  make  them  more  ufeful  and 
peaceable  members  of  fociety. 

But  it  muft  not  be  diffembled,  for  it  cannot 
be  difowned,  that  the  difputes  and  contentions 
of  Chriftians  with  each  other,  have  been  the 
fource  of  the  moft  lafting  animofities,  and 
caufed  great  miferies  and  difturbances  in  the 
world. 

But  let  not  the  mild  and  gentle  doftrine  of 
the  gofpel  be  therefore  llandered,  and  charged 
with  thefe  evils ;  which  breathes  no  other  fpirit 
but  that  of  kindnefs  and  benevolence,  and  re- 
quires it  of  all  who  come  under  its  difcipline. 
Let  thofe  rather  bear  the  blame,  the  civil  powers, 
the  princes  and  ftates  of  this  world,  who  have 

given 


1 19] 

given  life  and  importance  to  thefe  difputes, 
that  would  otherwife  have  died  away  of  them- 
felves,  by  interfering  with  them  :  who  inftead 
of  affording  proteftion  to  all  the  parties,  have 
lent  their  aid  to  one  to  moleft  and  deftroy  the 
other  :  who  for  ends  of  ambition  and  lawlefs 
power,  have  courted  the  moft  numerous  and 
powerful  fefts  in  their  refpeflive  countries, 
pouring  in  wealth,  and  honours,  and  authority 
upon  them,  whilft  they  have  generally  deprived 
the  inferior  number  of  fortunes,  and  life,  and 
liberty  more  precious  than  life.  Can  it  be 
wondered,  that  fuch  oppreffion  has  made  men 
mad  ?  that  fuch  partial,  iniquitous  proceedings 
have  kindled  wars  and  tumults,  and  fet  the 
world  in  a  flame  ?  Let  but  the  civil  govern- 
ors, the'  princes  and  kings  of  the  earth,  acl 
the  fame  part  over  again,  and  make  themfelves 
parties  to  all  the  religious  difputes  of  their  fub- 
je6ls,  throwing  the  weight  of  their  authority 
and  favour  into  the  fcale  of  one  fide  to  the 
depfeflion  of  the  other,  and  the  fame  wild 
fcenes  in  proportion  would  return  and  be  re- 
newed. 

But  wife  experience  has  taught  them  a  bet- 
ter lefibn.  A  happier  ftate  of  things  we  pre- 
fage  is  advancing :  when  it  fiiall  no  longer  be 
the  road  to  honours  and  great  wealth  for  liiini- 
Iters  of  religion  to  be  vehement  in  contending 
for  opinions  doubtful  in  themfelves  and  of  little 
ufe  or  importance,  fave  that  they  have  once 
been  eftablifhed  :  But  the  honour  and  re- 
ward will  be  to  thofe  who  have  mbft  laboured 

B  2  to 


[    20    ] 

to  make  themielves  and  others  wife  and  good  t 
When  the  civil  magiftrate  fliall  no  more  fay  to 
thofe  who  have  a  juft  claim  to  his  prote6lion 
and  favour ;  Tou  Jhall  not  enjoy  the  privileges 
and  benefits  of  good  fubjeBs,  unlefs  you  worfiip 
God  as  I  do  y  or  as  my  Prieji  diredis  you  to  do. 
But  all  fhall  enjoy  alike  protection  from  the 
ftate,  who  give  alike  fecurity  for  their  obe- 
dience to  it. 

To  the  honour  of  our  gracious  Sovereign 
and  the  government  under  v/hich  we  have  the 
happinefs  to  live  -,  let  it  be  obferved,  that  al- 
though not  a  few  amongft  us,  lye  undefei^v- 
edly  under  the  terror  oi  fevere^,  unjttjty  pe^ 
nal  lawsy  made  in  bad  and  dark  times.  Yet 
thefe  laws  fleep :  they  are  never  put  in  ex- 
ecution :  they  are  almoft  univerfally  reproba- 
ted and  condemned.  The  growing  enlightened 
fpirit  of  the  nation ;  the  fpirit  of  the  tinies, 
and  the  wifdom,  juftlce,  and  candour  of  the 
Britifh  leglflature,  are  a  pledge  to  us,  that 
fuch  laws  whofe  edge  is  turned  only  againft 


*  t< 


By  9  and  lo  W.  III.  c.  32.  If  aay  perfon  educated 
*'  in  or  having  made  profeflion  of  the  chriAian  religion, 
**  (hall  be  convided  in  any  of  the  courts  of  Wertmi^fter,  or 
*'  at  the  affizes,  of  denying  any  one  of  the  per] ms  of  the  Holy 
"  Trinity  to  he  Gody  he.  he  ihall  for  the  fir/}  offence,  be 
*'  judged  incapable  of  any  office  j  and  for  xW^^fecond  offence, 
*'  ihall  be  difabled  to  fue  any  a^lion,  or  to  be  guardian, 
*'  executor,  or  adminiftrator,  or  to  take  any  legacy  or  deed  of 
*'  gift,  or  to. bear  any  office,  civil  or  military,  or  benefice 
*'  ecclefiaftical,  for  ever,  and  alfo  Ihall  fuffcr  imprifonment 
«  for  three  y^ars." 

the 


t  2.  J 

the  moft  confcientious  iiien,    fliall    e'er   long 
be  repealed. 

In  the  mean  while,  if  the  above  reafonin^ 
be  fohd  and  convincing,  it  may  yield  us  a 
full  fatisfaftion,  that  thofe  who  withdi-aw 
themfelvGS  from  the  eftabliflied  worlhip  of  their 
country,  to  worfhip  God  in  a  way  more  a- 
greeable  to  his  will,  as  they  apprehend,  are 
thus  not  only  approving  themfelves  to  him 
whofe  favour  is  to  be  fought  above  all  thin^^s : 
but  do  alfo  thereby  demonftrate  themfelves 
good  citizens  and  ufeful  fubjefts  of  the  ftate, 
not  inferior  to  any  others;  whilft  they  are 
ftudious  to  keep  the  imity  of  the  Spirit  hi 
the  bond  of  peace ;  and  Jive  in  perfe6l  cha- 
rity, and  the  exchange  of  all  friendly  and 
benevolent  offices  with  their  brethren  from 
whom  they  feparafee  on  a  religious  account 
and  principle  of  confcience. 

VII. 
But   to   draw  towards   a  conclufion;    and 
addrefs   myfelf  immediately  to  thofe  who.  are, 
or  fhall  be  united   in  chriftian   fociety  with 
us. 

Far  will  it  be  from  my  purpofe  ever  to 
treat  of  controverfial  matters  from  this  place, 
though  fomething  in  vindication  of  our  pre- 
fent  conduft  and  right  of  aflembling  ourfelves 
here  together,  was  now  judged  proper  to  be  laid 
before  you. 

The  defign  of   churches   qr  congregations 
of  Chriftians,  is  to  join  together  in  the  pub- 
lic worfhip  of  Almighty  God,  a  duty  of  high- 
•        '  B  3  eft 


[    22    ] 

eft  concernment ;  and  to  promote  each  others 
falvation  more  efFeftually  than  could  have 
been  done  by  Individuals  alone.  And  there- 
fore, though  we  are  ftill,  as  we  can,  to  en- 
deavour that  all  men  may  be  faved,  and  come 
wito  the  knowlege  of  the  truth :  we  are  under 
an  efpecial  obligation  and  nearer  tye  to  thofe 
with  whom  we  are  thus  voluntarily  united; 
to  be  helpful  to  each  other  in  the  concerns 
of  a  future  world;  to  watch  over  one  ano- 
ther y  atid  to  excite  unto  love  and  to  good  works ; 
that  we  may  be  the  fait  of  the  earth ;  lights  of 
the  world ;  and  that  our  light  may  fo  fhine  be- 
fore men  that  they  may  fee  our  good  works y  and 
glorify  our  Father  which  is  in  heaven. 

This  end,  we  have,  my  brethren,  in  com- 
mon with  all  chriftian  focieties;  and  this  is 
the  moft  important  end  of  all,  and  princi- 
pally to  be  regarded. 

But  added  to  this,  there  is  another  end  pe- 
culiar to  us  and  reafon  of  forming  ourfelves 
into  a  feparate  congregation,  diftinft  from 
that  of  our  national  church  -,  and  this  is,  that 
we  may  be  at  liberty  to   worfhip  *  God  alone y 

after 


*  Our  Saviour  Chrifl  was  the  moft  conftant  and  devout 
vorfhipper  of  God  ;  his  Tather  and  our  Father  (Joh.  xx.  17) 
h\s  God  and  our  God :  Mark  i.  35,  John  vi.  11,  Luke  x.  21, 
xxii.  41,  in  which  laft  he  ufes  the  humblefl-  pofture  of  body 
to  denote  his  profound  reverence  of  the  moft  high  God,  his 
Father. 

When  he  was  under  his  temptation^  or  .  preparatory  trial, 
before  his  entrance  on  his  public  miniftry  3  he  gave  the  fol- 
lowing 


[  23  ] 

after  the  command  and  example  of-  our  Sa- 
viour  Chrift.      So  that  if  any  alk  what  we 

are 

iowing  anfwer  to  the  Tempter  ;  Thou  /halt  worfo'ip  the  Lord 
tky  God^  and  him  only  Jhalt  thou  ferve.     Matth.  iv.  lo. 

At  another  time,  as  he  was  fraying  in  a  certain  place.,  when 
ic  ccafed-y  tne  cf  his  difcipics  /aid  unto  hitn^  Lord^  teach  vs  t9 
pray — ajid  he  faid  uyito  them\  when  ye  pray .,  fay  \  Our  Father^ 
itttnch  art  in  heaven.,  Luke  xi.  i,  2.  Upon  a  requell  lo. 
folemn  and  interring  as  this  of  his  apoftles,  who  were  to  be 
tlie  future  inftrudlorsof  mankind  ;  had  there  been  any  other 
objed  or  obje(5ts  of  worlhip  but  the  heavenly  Fatiier,  our 
Lord  would  have  told  them  of  it  diftindiy  and  ftated  it  v^ith 
all  exa^lnefs,  as  an  omiinon  here  muft  neceffarily  mifleid 
them  und  their  converts  for  ever.  But  quite  filent  concerning 
any  other,  he  anfwers  them  by  giving  them  a  form  or  mociel 
of  prayer,  which  is  addrefled  to  theP'athtr,  and  to  him  alone. 
This  therefore  is  a  cafe,  where  the  omiiijon  of  any  otiier  ob- 
jects of  worlhip  is  an  utter  exclufion  of  them. 

Upon  another  occafion,  he  declares,  who  are  the  true 
wordiipers  ;  and  who  it  is,  they  worfliiped  ;  namely  GOD, 
THE  FATHER^  only.  Believe  me — tlu  true  worjhipers  fiall 
worfiip  the  Father  in  fpirit  and  truth :  For  the  Father  feeketh 
fuch  to  worjhip  him.     John  iv.  23. 

He  never  fet  l^imfelf  up  to  be  the  true  God.,  the  Father ; 
or  to  he  worJ}npped  as  God :  But,  x\\q  fon  of  the  Father^  and 
the  mejfenger  of  God. 

The  Pfalmift  fays,  Pf.  Ixv.  2.  O  thou  that  heareji  prayer., 
(or  O  hearer  of  piayer)  unto  thee  /hall  allflejh  come  I  Is  there 
any  other  that  heareth  prayer  ?  or  can  hear  it  ?  Did  the 
Lord  Jefus  difcover  any  other ;  or  fay  that  he  himfelf  was 
the  God  that  heareth  prayer  i' 

Our  Lord's  precept  and  example  in  this  moft  important 
refpe(5t,  ought  furely  to  be  regarded  by  his  followers.  I  fee 
not  how  it  ^an  be  got  over.  Hovy  caa  I  ere^^t  him  into 
ayiother  moji  high  God.,  and  make  him  the  objcvfl  of  reli- 
gious worlhip,  when  he  himfelf  mofl:  exprcfsjy  commands 
me  to  pray  to  the  Father  only  ;  when  he  himfelf  lets  me  ihs 
example  of  praying  to  the  Father  only  ? 

The  force  of  this  reafoning  is  not  in  the  le.ifl  pbated  by 
Jthe  obfcrvation,  that  wo'Jlnp  is  frequently j)a.d  to  Chrift  in 

B  4.^  the 


[     6     ] 

are,  or  for  what  purpofe  we  are  joined  toge- 
ther in  a  chriftian  fociety;  our  anfwer  is, 
with  the  apoille,  **  we  are  a  people,  that  wor- 
ftoip  God  in  the  fpirity  and  make  our  boajl  in 
Chrijl  Jefusr    Philip,  iii.  3. 

the  holy  fcriptures ;  and  alfo  ordered  to  be  paid  to  him,  as 
Hebr,  i.  6.  Let  all  the  angels  of  God  worjhip  him.  But  this  is 
not  religious  vvorfliip.  The  attentive  ftudent  of  the  facred 
writings  well  knows  that  worJJnp  is  a  relative  term,  of  different 
fignification  according  to  the  fubje(fl  to  which  it  is  applied. 
When  afcribed  to  Kings  or  perfons  in  authority  ( iChron.  xxix, 
20.)  it  implies  the  honour  due  to  their  ftation  and  charader. 
When  afcribed  to  the  Lord  Jefus,  it  is  the  honour  due  to  him 
ijuhom  God  hath  exalted  for  his  excellent  virtue  and  obedience, 
and  given  hi?n  a  name  above  every  name.  Philip  ii.  9.  and 
vjorjhip  when  afcribed  to  God,  is  that  higheft  reverence  and 
honour,  of  which  invocation  by  prayer  is  a  principal  part ; 
which  belongs  to  the  Omniprefent  God  alone,  and  is  uncom- 
municated;^  if  not  utterly  incommunicable  to  any  other. 


THE 


1 25] 

THE 

PRAYER  after  the  Sermon. 


WE  have  all  reafon  to  thank  thee,  O 
Lord  our  God,  for  that  perfeft  rule 
and  way  of  life  and  our  duty,  which  thou  haft 
taught  us  by  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  ;  wherein 
thou  haft  gracioufly  confulted  our  prefent  peace 
and  enjoyment,  as  thou  haft  moft  munificently 
provided  for  our  future  happinefs. 

For  nothing  is  there  wanting,  O  thou  kind 
Father  of  men,  to  turn  this  earth  again  into 
Paradife,  and  make  us  completely  bleffed,  but 
to  copy  after  that  charafter  of  thyfelf  which 
thou  haft  fet  before  us  for  our  imitation,  and 
obey  the  precepts  of  thy  Son  which  lead  us  to  it. 

For  thou,  who  art  in  thine  own  nature, 
love  and  goodnefs  abfolute ;  haft  commanded 
us  to  love  and  to  do  good  to  all,  that  we  may 
be  tiy  childreii,  perfeft,  and  refembling  thee  in 
our  degree,  as  thou,  our  Father  in  Heaven,  art 
ferfeB, 

Thou  commandeft  not  hard  things  ,•  or  that 
are  too  high  for  us  :  but  only  to  love  one  an- 
other with  an  affeftion  fteady,  rational,  manly, 
and  virtuous  ;  and  to  be  happy. 

Wretched,  unworthy  creatures  are  we;  that 
will  not  comply  with  fo  eafy  a  rule  of  fo  kind 
a  mafter. 

I  Remove 


[    26    ] 

Remove  at  laft  thofe  bars,  which  we  have 
put  to  our  own  happinefs  :  that  proud  conceit 
and  ignorance,  which  ftamps  fuch  undue  value 
on  ourfelves  and  our  opinions,  and  would  have 
all  others  bend  to  us ;  which  leads  us  to  place 
a  vain  merit  in  a  faith  which  is  nothing  more 
than  an  eafy  credulity;  aud  a  religion,  pre- 
tending to  come  from  thee,  yet  void  of  charity. 

Preferve  us  alfo  from  blind,  intemperate 
zeal ;  and  the  rage  of  dealing  out  rafh  and 
uncharitable  judgments  concerning  the  future 
condition  of  others,  who  may  differ*  in  fome 
things  from  us ;  left  we  be  guilty  of  invading 
thy  awful  prerogative,  to  whom  alone  the  heart 
of  man  is  known ;  and  who  only  haft  power 
to  fave  and  tp  deftroy, 

But  implant  in  our  hearts  a  temper  of  bene- 
volence and  charity ;  charity  mild  and  gentle 
to  all;  'which  thinketh  no  evil-,  which  bear- 
eth  all  things  ;  believeth  all  things  ;  hopethall 
things :  That  this  divine  temper  being  rooted 
in  us,  and  our  whole  chara6ler  molded  into  it, 
we  may  not  confine  our  goad  opinion,  and 
offices  of  kindnefs  to  thofe  of  our  own  feft  and 
perfuafion  ;  but  may  embrace  all  men  with  the. 
moft  hearty  approbation  and  good  will,  as 
equally  thy  children,  dear  to  thee,  with  our- 
felves ;  and  equally  in  thy  favour,  whilft  feek-. 
ing  fincerely  to  pleafe  thee ;  and  may  thus  re- 
joice in  them,  and  in  all  the  good  that  they 
receive  or  do. 

In 


I    27   ] 

In  requiring  this  temper  and  difpofition  to 
be  in  us,  which  is  in  thyfelf,  thou  giveft  us  a 
pleafing  idea  and  foretafte  of  the  happinefs  which 
thou  haft  refei^ved  for  us  beyond  the  grave ; 
and  fitteft  and  traineft  us  up  for  the  enjoyment 
of  it ;  when  the  happinefs  of  all  will  become 
our  own,  by  our  loving  them  and  taking  plea- 
fpre  therein  ;  and  will  be  as  boundlefs  as  that 
univerfal  community  of  rational  and  virtuous 
beings,  with  whofe  blifsful  ftate  and  charac- 
ters we  hope  hereafter  to  become  acquainted. 

This,  O  God,  is  that  blefTed  ftate  to  which 
we  afpire  ;  w^en  charity  Jfjall  have  its  perfect 
work :  for  which  thou  didft  fend  us  a  divine 
teacher  and  Saviour,  Jefus,  to  prepare  and 
to  bring  us  to  it.  For  him  we  blefs  thee;  and 
through  him,  according  to  thy  appointment, 
we  defire  to  offer  up  unto  thee  all  praife,  ado- 
ration and  thankfgiving,  now  and  for  ever. 


A  SUM- 


[28    ] 


SUMMARY  ACCOUNT 


OF     THE 


REFORMED   LITURGY 

Now  ufed  at  the  Chapel  in  Essex-House^ 
Effex-Street,  Strandy  London. 


WH  E  N  the  defign  of  a  more  fcriptural 
form  of  worfhip  was  firft  propofed  to 
be  put  in  praftice,  upon  the  plan  of  the  late 
Dr.  Samuel  Clarke,  fome  friends  advifed  to 
print  the  liturgy  of  the  church  of  England, 
with  his  emendations,  and  to  make  ufe  of  it, 
exaftly  as  he  had  left  it.  The  fame  has  been 
fmce  much  recommended  by  others.  And  it 
were  to  have  been  wifhed  that  this  Reformed 
Liturgy  might  have  come  out  quite  fheltered 
under  the  name  of  that  great  man,  and  call- 
ed intirely  his. 

But  it  would  have  been  an  injury  to  his 
memory,  to  have  propofed  that  for  a  juft 
model  of  public  worfhip  under  his  fanftion, 

whidi 


[    29    ] 

which  he  was  very  far  from  intending  to  be 
fuch. 

His  principal  attention  and  care  feem  to 
have  been  employed  in  reftifying  the  great  er- 
rors concerning  the  object  of  reUgious  worihip, 
which  obtained  in  the  national  church,  of 
which  he  was  member,  and  one  of  its  greatefl: 
ornaments.  In  doing  this,  he  nobly  ventur- 
ed to  follow  the  leading  of  holy  fcripture, 
however  contrary  to  the  received  do6trines ; 
and  blotted  out  or  changed  fuch  prayers  and  in^ 
vocatiom  as  were  addrejj'ed  to  Chrijly  or  the  holy 
fpirity  and  not  to  the  One  God,   the  Father. 

In  his  examination  of  the  book  of  common 
prayer,  as  he  paiTed  along,  he  alfo  noted  and 
changed  many  of  the  fentiments  and  expref- 
fions,  which  he  judged  improper  or  wrong. 

But  it  fell  not  within  his  purpofe,  to  re- 
mark or  cenfure  fuch  obvious  imperfections 
of  that  book,  which  had  been  pointed  out 
before  by  others,  and  could  hardly  efcape  the 
obfervatidn  of  any  one,  whenever  it  fhould 
come  under  a  general  review  :  I  mean,  tlie 
very  frequent  return  of  the  Lord's  prayer, 
and  of  the  like  requefts  in  other  prayers  ;  the 
repetition  of  two  creeds,  within  a  fliort  fpace 
one  after  another ;  the  confufion  *  occafioned 
by  what  were  at  firft  three  diftind:  fcrvices, 
and  repeated  at  different  hours,  being  thrown 

.*  The  Morning  Prayer  was  at  firft  read  at  fix  in  the  morn- 
ing :  the  Communion  Service  at  nine,  or  ioon  after ;  and  a 
little  before  that,  the  htany. 

all 


[  3°] 

all  together,  and  blended  into  one  *  :  From 
which  it  happens,  that  at  the  end  of  one 
part,  we  are  difmiffed  with  a  concluding 
prayer,  and  folemn  bleffing,  and  immediate- 
ly after  begin  the  circle  of  our  devotions  again  : 
Faults  thefe  not  of  our  ever  honoured  Re- 
formers ;  but  of  US,  their  lefs  careful  and  in- 
dolent fvTCcefTors.  Thefe  blemifhes  therefore, 
were  of  neceffity  to  be  removed. 

Some  paflages  retained  by  Dr.  Clarke y  have 
been  omitted  *  ;  and  fome  farther  alterations 
and  additions  have  been  made  :  all  which  are 
fubmitted  to  the  judgment  of  the  ferious  and 
diligent  reader  of  holy  fcripture.  In  the  de- 
votional part,  wherever  any  change  has  been 
made,  care  has  been  taken  not  to  lofe  that 
fimplicity  of  fentiment,  and  eafy  flow  of  pi- 
ous and  natural  eloquence,  for  which  many 
parts  of  our  antient  liturgy  are  juflly  adr 
mired. 

The  occafional  prayers  and  thankfgivings 
have  been  for  the  prefent  omitted.  Perhaps 
it  may  not  be  amifs  always  to  referve  to  the 
officiating  Minifter  the  liberty  of  introdu- 
cing fuitable  prayers  of  his  own  compofing 
on  fuch  emergencies  as  can  with  difficulty  be 
provided  for  beforehand. 

The  obfervation  of  Chrijimas  dayy  Good 
Friday y    Eajler  dayy    the  Afcenfioriy    and  Whit- 

*  Thus,  for  example,  the  Ohfecrations^  as  they  are  call- 
cd,  in  the  litany,  are  left  out :  By  thy  holy  incarnation^  &c. 
although  Dr,  Clarke  changes  them  to  be  an  addrefs  to  Gody 
and  not  to  Chrijl, 

Jundayy 


[  31  ] 

funday  ;  ftill  kept  up,  as  being  memorials  of  the 
principal  fa6ls  concerning  our  Saviour  Chrift, 
and  the  eftablifhment  of  his  religion  in  the 
world.  '  The  Samts  days,  as  they  are  called, 
are  fallen  into  almoft  univerfal  negleft,  and  ferve 
chiefly  for  civil  purpofes ;  fave  that  now  and 
then  they  help  to  bring  back  a  Proteftant  to  the 
bbfom  of  Popery,  by  their  too  near  affinity  to 
that  mother  of  fuperftition  and  idolatries.  They 
are  therefore  intirely  left  out. 

The  appointment  of  the  litany  to  be  read 
only  on  fuch  days  as  the  Lord's  Supper  i-s 
adminiftred,  correfponds  with  the  order  of 
the  original  Compilers  of  the  liturgy.  For 
our  ecclefiaftical  hiftory  informs  us,  that  the 
litany  was  defigned  to  be  a  kind  of  prepara- 
tion to  the  Communion,  and  to  be  read  a 
little  before  that  office  began. 

The  morning  fervice,  on  the  days  that  tlie 
Lord's  Supper  is  adminiftered,  is  fomewhat 
ftiorter  than  at  other  times;  and  the  intro- 
duftory  part  of  the  Com.munion  Service  is 
laid  afide  as  unneceffary ;  by  which  the  whole 
is  much  abridged.  And  it  is  hoped,  that  all 
that  join  in  the  former,  will  attend  the  latter. 
For  it  is  in  itfelf  moft  unreafonable,  and.  wholly 
unprecedented  in  the  Apoftles  times,  that  any 
fhould  join  in  the  devotions,  of  the  church  and 
not  join 'in  receiving  tlie  Lord's  fupper,  a  part  of 
thoie  devotions ;  but  not  more  facred  than 
the  reft,  nor  recjuiring  any  different  reUgious 
difpofition  of  mind  or  preparation  ioi'  it. 

I  ■      ^  Dr. 


r  32 } 

^  Dr,  Clarke  made  many  alterations  in  the 
Baptifmal  office,  which  was  much  incum- 
bered with  a  continual  reference  to  the  ab- 
ftrufe  metaphyfical  doftrines  of  eleStion  and 
original  Jin,  But  he  does  not  appear  to  have 
fufficiently  difentangled  it.  A  ftrift  adherence 
to  holy  fcripture,  and  the  fimplicity  of  the 
inftitution,  has  been  aimed  at  in  the  addi- 
tional parts  of  this  fervice. 

The  promifcuous  reading  of  the  Pfalms 
having  been  long  matter  of  complaint  -,  the 
appointment  of  thefe,  and  of  the  leflbns, 
feems  properly  left  to  the  difcretion  of  the 
Minifter. 

A  colle£lion  of  fuch  pfalms  and  hymhs  as 
may  be  fittefl:  to  be  fung  by  the  congregation, 
will  be  hereafter  drawn  up  and  printed.  In 
the  mean  time,  the  Pfalms  of  Dr.  Watts  will 
be  made  ufe  of;  whofe  devotional  compofi- 
tions  were  many  years  ago  juftly  praifed  and 
commended  by  the  authors  of  the  Candid 
Difquifitions. 

FINIS. 


This  Day  is  publilhed,  Price  Three  Shillings  unbound, 

npHE  BOOK  OF    COMMON-PRAYER 

X     REFORMED,  upon  the  Plan  of  the  late  Dr. 

SaMUEL  CLARKE  :  Together  with  the  PSALTER  or 

P.-5  ALMS  of  DAVID  for  the  Ufe  of  the  CHAPEL  in  Eflex- 

Street. Printed  for  J.  Johnson,  No.  72,  St.  Paul's 

Church-yard. 


DATE  DUE 

5- 

- 

__  ,^-:^^^^ 

GAYLORD 

PRINTED  IN  US. A. 

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